Tracking, learning, and sharing for the ARA grassroots action research microgrants: Midline report

Summary of key findings

ARA’s micro-grants programme reveals progress in the activities of all 30 projects under implementation, and the following are the achievements up to the mid-term.

• Community engagement: 90% (27 out of 30 grantees) successfully engaged with communities affected by climate change, facilitating direct exploration of critical issues.
• Workshops, Trainings, Awareness Raising, Learning Exchanges, Meetings: A total of 99 workshops, trainings, awareness-raising events, learning exchanges and meetings were conducted by 24 micro-grants, with Latin America and the Caribbean hosting 39 events, closely followed by Africa and Asia-Pacific. In addition, 61 events specifically aimed at raising awareness of climate change were organised by 26 micro-grants, and a further 42 events focused on capacity building and learning exchanges were organised by 10 micro-grants.
• Knowledge co-production: 47 diagnostic analyses were completed through 12 micro-grants. Latin America and the Caribbean were the most active with 23 contributions, followed by Asia-Pacific with 22 and Africa with a smaller contribution. A diverse range of tools, methodologies, surveys, plans, and models were developed, totalling 17 initiatives across 12 micro-grants. Asia-Pacific was the leading region in this category, followed by Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa. 21 publications were produced, including research papers and reports, with a notable contribution from Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Adaptation measures: 6 micro-grants co-identified 42 adaptation measures. The Asia-Pacific region led with 29 adaptive measures, including 27 prototypes adaptation solution generated in Myanmar after thorough action-research and initiatives such as the Murta Plantation and the testing of a low-cost solar panel rotator called “Solar Achieve” in Bangladesh.
• Research-oriented adaptation measures piloted with local communities: A total of 26 pilot tests were conducted in 6 micro-grants, with a regional focus on Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Knowledge products: A total of 23 knowledge products were developed through 11 micro-grants.