Skopje - Today, the Climate Change Caravan, organized by the USAID Adaptation to Climate Change in Agriculture(ACCA) project, started on its journey across Macedonia.  The Caravan will make six stops in rural areas of the country, with Novo Selo village in Strumica as its first.  The Caravan was designed to reach rural communities and educate small farmers and other citizens about the anticipated effects of climate change, share strategies for adapting to these effects, and emphasize the importance of proactive responses to them at the grassroots level. 

“Through this Caravan, we want to reach people in communities like yours, who are more heavily reliant on agriculture-related activities,” said Joseph Lessard, USAID Economic Growth Office Director.  “Places like Novo Selo, and the other villages we will visit in the coming weeks, are the places that are being most affected by the changing climate.”

The USAID ACCA project is testing, demonstrating and disseminating innovative adaptive agricultural practices that have the potential to minimize some of the expected adverse global warming impacts on high value crops grown by small farmers.  The project focuses on the Mediterranean zone, including the Vardar region with parts of Strumica and Gevgelija, agriculturally rich areas that are most affected by climate change.  In May and June, the Caravan will also visit the villages of Negorci, Timjanik, Pcinja, Bogdanci and Rosoman.  

NOTES TO EDITORS:   

The three-year USAID Adaptation to Climate Change in Agriculture project, implemented by the Rural Development Network (RDN), was launched in April 2012 and aims to promote agricultural practices adaptive to climate change and raise the awareness of the forthcoming challenges of climate change and the need for joint, community level responses. RDN in Macedonia works to demonstrate a structured approach in mobilizing rural communities to become stronger agents of local development and improve rural policy at the local, regional, national and EU levels.  More than 50 civil society organizations as members of the Network are voicing their concerns at the national level.  For details, please visit: (www.ruralnet.mk and RDN FB page https://www.facebook.com/RuralDevelopmentNetwork).

The American people, through USAID, have invested over $500 million in Macedonia since 1993. USAID is working with the people of Macedonia to create jobs, strengthen democratic institutions and practices, enhance integrated education, and prepare students for the workforce. These initiatives improve the quality of life and support Macedonia’s transition to a stable and prosperous democracy. USAID provides economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries. For more information please visit http://macedonia.usaid.gov and USAID FB page http://www.facebook.com/USAIDMacedonia.