Local Communities at the Heart of Climate Action : Africa 21 Screening

The discussion focused on the concrete impacts of climate change on the daily life of a farming family in Kenya, portrayed in the documentary. The film highlights how changing rainfall patterns, drought, flooding and environmental stress directly affect agricultural workers and their livelihoods.

Building on his ongoing work on water governance in Africa, Quentin Parent emphasized the crucial role of local communities in both mitigating climate change and developing effective adaptation strategies. He underlined that responses to climate challenges must be rooted in local realities, traditional knowledge systems, and collective action.

His intervention also drew from the Geneva Water Hub’s longstanding engagement on the continent, including its collaboration with Pôle Eau Dakar, and reflected the Hub’s broader commitment to strengthening water governance frameworks that promote resilience and social cohesion. Geneva Water Hub has previously partnered with Africa 21 on related initiatives.

Today, the central role of local communities is more crucial than ever — a priority clearly reflected in the Geneva Water Hub’s Water & Social Cohesion project, which places community-based approaches at the forefront of its work, including in Hodh Chargui (Mauritania).

The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session with the audience, further highlighting the importance of dialogue between research, policy, and civil society in addressing climate and water challenges.