ICLEI South Asia participated in the Step Change workshop, held from 11-14 February 2025 in Arusha, Tanzania, organised by International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Africa Research & Impact Network (ARIN). The event served as a platform for discussing strategies to effectively engage communities in developing Climate Adaptation and Disaster Resilience Plans.

During a panel discussion, Rahul Singh, Senior Manager, ICLEI South Asia, shared valuable insights from ICLEI South Asia’s work across its four partner countries—Nepal, Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka. He discussed the team’s experiences, challenges, and key lessons learned in promoting inclusive adaptation and disaster resilience planning, ensuring that community participation remains central to the process.

The discussions underscored the importance of consistent, long-term community engagement in fostering trust and enabling the development of effective climate adaptation strategies. It was noted that short-term, project-based approaches led by external actors often fail to create lasting impact, reinforcing the need for sustained local involvement.

This pivotal event, hosted by the Africa Research & Impact Network (ARIN), brought together representatives from eight projects in 19 countries in Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. The workshop’s goal was to strengthen synergies, foster collaboration, and drive equitable and inclusive locally led adaptation (LLA) strategies.