Global Center on Adaptation (GCA)

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that works to accelerate, innovate, and scale adaptation solutions for a climate-resilient world.

Kenya Coffee School or GOOD Trade Certification.

🌍 Global Center on Adaptation (GCA)

Overview

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international institution that supports countries, communities, and businesses to adapt to the impacts of climate change. It focuses on scaling proven solutions, building resilience, and helping integrate climate adaptation into economic planning and development strategies.

• Headquarters: Rotterdam, The Netherlands (with regional offices in Africa, Asia, and other regions)
• President: Prof. Dr. Patrick Verkooijen
• Founded: 2018
• Partners: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), and various governments and universities.

🌱 Mission

GCA’s mission is to accelerate action and support for climate adaptation worldwide. Rather than focusing on mitigation (reducing emissions), GCA works on helping societies live with and thrive despite a changing climate — by strengthening systems, improving infrastructure, and empowering vulnerable communities.

🔑 Strategic Focus Areas

1. Food Security & Rural Livelihoods
   Supporting farmers and agricultural communities to improve productivity and resilience through climate-smart agriculture, irrigation systems, and improved access to finance.
2. Water and Nature-Based Solutions
   Promoting watershed management, wetland restoration, and sustainable use of water resources.
3. Urban Resilience & Infrastructure
   Helping cities integrate climate risk into design, housing, drainage, and planning.
4. Youth Leadership and Education
   Empowering young people and universities through programs like the Youth Adaptation Network and academic partnerships.
5. Finance & Investment in Adaptation
   Mobilizing capital to scale adaptation projects, including the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) in collaboration with the African Development Bank.

🌍 Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP)

• Launched: 2021 by the African Development Bank and GCA.
• Goal: Mobilize $25 billion to drive climate adaptation in Africa.
• Focus: Digital climate adaptation, resilient agriculture, youth employment, and infrastructure.
• Kenya & East Africa: AAAP supports governments and private institutions (like coffee, tea, and agriculture sectors) to integrate adaptation into business and development plans.

🤝 Partnerships in Education and Capacity Building

GCA works with universities and technical institutions to create centers of excellence for climate adaptation training and research. It promotes:

• Climate adaptation curricula
• Research exchange programs
• Youth-led innovation challenges
• Collaboration with technical/vocational institutions — a model that could align closely with Kenya Coffee School’s climate-smart coffee education or GOOD Trade Certification’s sustainability agenda.

🔗 Possible Collaboration Pathways for Kenya Coffee School / GOOD Trade Certification

1. Coffee and Tea Climate Adaptation Lab
   Partner with GCA’s Africa office to create a “Climate-Smart Coffee Adaptation Hub” for East Africa — linking students and farmers to adaptation science and finance.
2. Youth Adaptation Fellowship
   Train youth in climate-smart coffee farming, digital monitoring, and circular agribusiness — under GCA’s Youth Adaptation Network.
3. Integration with AAAP
   Align GOOD Trade Certification with AAAP’s goal of funding climate-resilient agriculture — focusing on farmer data systems, soil-water management, and diversification.
4. Joint Learning and Study Tours
   Include a Climate Adaptation Module in the Kenya Coffee School’s international study trips — connecting coffee, tea, and sustainability with real-world adaptation policy and practice.

🏢 Key Contacts & Offices

• Global Headquarters:
  Rotterdam, The Netherlands — GCA Global Hub
• Africa Regional Office:
  African Development Bank Headquarters, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
• Asia Regional Office:
  Beijing, China
• Other partnerships: Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, Egypt, and others

Website: https://gca.org
President & CEO: Dr. Patrick Verkooijen