The African Development Fund, through its Climate Action Window, has approved an $8.6 million grant in additional financing to support the implementation of the first phase of the Water Sector and Climate Resilience Building Support Programme (PASEREC) in Burundi.

This grant comes on top of an initial funding of $13.3 million approved by the Bank in 2023 for the program and will enable it to be extended for an additional year.

The programme, which will run until 2029, will help provide access to safe and reliable drinking water for half a million people in five rural provinces in the country, while improving sanitation and creating new green jobs. These provinces – Bubanza, Cibitoke, Cankuzo, Rutana, and Ruyigi – are among the areas most affected by droughts and floods, and highly prone to cholera outbreaks.

PASEREC will fund the construction of 17 solar-powered water systems, eco-friendly sanitation facilities, and irrigation systems that will improve food production and boost household incomes. About 2,700 jobs will be created – 80% of them for youth and women – through small-scale farming, maintenance of water systems, and climate-smart agriculture.

Beyond infrastructure, the project will empower local communities and cooperatives to manage water services sustainably, and also promote gender equality through training and access to finance. It will also support agro-pastoral cooperatives, providing women and young farmers with new agricultural skills and start-up opportunities.

“This project is about dignity, health and opportunity, while also demonstrating the central role of water for the sustainable socio-economic development of Burundi,” said Mecuria Assefaw, Division Manager for Water and Sanitation at the African Development Bank. “Access to clean water transforms lives. It keeps children in school, gives women more time to earn an income, and helps entire communities face the future with strength and confidence.”

The programme is co-financed by the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA) and the Government of Burundi, marking a strong partnership for climate resilience and inclusive growth.

Source: AfDB