New international project explores how remittances can boost climate resilience in Africa

A major new research project, Remitting for Resilience (R2), has been launched to explore how the money and resources sent home by migrants, known as remittances, can strengthen the resilience of communities facing climate-related challenges in Africa.

The project is led by Professor Jonathan Crush, University Research Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University and the Balsillie School of International Affairs in Canada, and Professor Kavita Datta, co-principal investigator from Queen Mary University of London. Professor Tim Brown, also from Queen Mary, is a co-applicant on the project, which brings together researchers from 12 universities and community organisations across Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, the UK, and Canada.

The project has received $2,401,993 CAD in funding through the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF), a Canadian government initiative established by the Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC). The NFRF is administered by the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat within the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), on behalf of Canada’s three federal research funding agencies.

Professor Kavita Datta, co-principal investigator and Professor of Development Geography at Queen Mary University of London, said: “This project recognises the vital role of remittances in supporting households facing climate and food security challenges. We hope to highlight how these flows can be harnessed for equitable, gender-sensitive adaptation strategies.”

Professor Tim Brown, co-applicant and Professor of Global Health Geographies at Queen Mary University of London, added: “Our research will focus on how remittances beyond financial support can improve health and well-being outcomes in communities confronting climate risks.”

Professor Jonathan Crush, project lead and University Research Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University and the Balsillie School of International Affairs, said: “Remittances are an under-explored resource in climate adaptation. R2 aims to show how they can build resilience at both household and community levels in some of Africa’s most vulnerable environments.”

Over the next three years, the team will examine how remittances can support food security, climate adaptation, and gender equality in marginal environments affected by climate change. The project will provide practical strategies for leveraging remittances as a climate adaptation tool, reflecting Queen Mary’s commitment to research that addresses pressing global challenges and supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.