GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU SIGNS LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING WITH UN WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE PROJECT IN RAMANATHAPURAM
The Government of Tamil Nadu has signed a Letter of Understanding (LoU) with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), India, for the implementation of the project titled "Adaptation for Resilience (ADAPT4R)." The LoU was formally exchanged between Tmt Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Department of Environment, Climate change & Forest, Government of Tamil Nadu & Ms. Nozomi Hashimoto, Deputy Country Director, World Food
Programme.
The Adaptation for Resilience (ADAPT4R) project, supported by the Adaptation Fund, aims to enhance the adaptive capacity and food security of vulnerable agricultural communities in Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. In Tamil Nadu, the project will be implemented over a five-year period in Ramanathapuram district by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forests, in collaboration with WFP. The initiative is designed to build climate resilience among smallholder farmers, particularly women, by promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices, improving access to information and resources, strengthening community institutions, and integrating early warning systems. With a total budget of USD 14 million, the project seeks to reduce climate risks, ensure food security, and safeguard livelihoods in districts where agriculture is increasingly threatened by extreme weather events and shifting climate patterns.This LoU builds on the agreement signed in August 2024 between the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, and WFP, and marks a significant step in translating national commitments into state-level action for climate adaptation.
The signing ceremony was attended by Thiru A. R. Rahul Nadh IAS, Director, Department of Environment and Climate Change, & Thiru Anurag Mishra IFS, Special Secretary, Department of Environment & Climate Change and Thiru Ritto Cyriac IFS, Special Secretary, Department of Forest, and other senior officials from the Government of Tamil Nadu. Senior representatives from WFP and MoEFCC were also present, including Ms. Pradnya Paithankar, Head of Climate Change and Resilient Food Systems, WFP and Dr. Suthanuka Sarkar, Deputy Director, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
