C4 EcoSolutions delivers climate adaptation and mitigation projects in least developed countries using a combination of specialised technical expertise and novel solutions to operational constraints. Here, Carbon Development Director, Jaun van Loggerenberg recounts his five-year residence in Mali leading a project to address declining agricultural yields and reduced hydroelectric generation caused by shifting rainfall patterns. Activities included aerial cloud seeding, farmer training and habitat monitoring across the Ségou, Sikasso and Manantali regions. Implementation in the Sahel required a context-specific operating model, as infrastructure and service delivery were limited, northern Mali was affected by active conflict, and a wide range of institutional stakeholders needed to coordinate to achieve project outcomes.

Ground monitoring infrastructure in Mali was not sufficiently developed to satisfy data requirements; however, the project used remote sensing to fill the data gaps effectively. Satellite-based monitoring of vegetation cover used Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) measurements to establish baselines of agricultural biomass and habitat distribution to inform objectives. Each week, operational planning then required a weather forecast built from satellite imagery, radar and synoptic data to anticipate storm activity across the region. The resulting data set showed where cloud seeding and ground activities should be implemented that week. Over time, iterative measurements of NDVI changes enabled monitoring and evaluation of long-term benefits of the project interventions. 

Although this forecasting and monitoring cycle could be delivered in a consistent operational rhythm each week, with flight and ground team plans built around the weekly weather forecast, these plans had to be adjusted in the short term as storms developed. The workload therefore varied considerably, from as few as five seeding and monitoring operations in a fair-weather week to as many as fifteen in one with storms. A standardised, scalable process enabled rapid operational shifts to maximise potential benefits under evolving weather conditions. This flexibility was underpinned by a standing bench of pilots, scientists, ground teams and flight-ready aircraft that could be mobilised at short notice as storm activity increased.

Executing this cycle on the ground required navigating an environment with limited infrastructure. Large parts of Mali lack paved roads, so field trips were planned with scout vehicles sent ahead to confirm routes were passable and safe. Community relationships, established over years, meant local partners were informed in advance and often on hand to support field teams on arrival. 

This logistics network depended on relationships with several key institutional stakeholders across the government and local communities. These included MALI-METEO (the Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Mali), the Ministry of Forestry, the Ministry of Agriculture and stakeholders from the energy sector. Stakeholders actively contributed to delivery rather than merely supporting monitoring and evaluation, enabling close, rapid and flexible coordination. For example, MALI-METEO representatives were typically on board the aircraft during seeding flights to support the missions.

This approach extended to the stakeholder relationship most critical to flight operations — the Malian Armed Forces. Military stakeholders required continuous coordination to inform safe movements in the region’s airspace because of the active conflict in the north of the country. An aircraft flying unannounced in that context could be interpreted as a potential threat, so flight plans and movements were shared with the Ministry of Defence in advance and confirmed before each mission. A liaison from the military team tracked the aircraft’s position throughout each mission and guided the pilots to avoid airspace above combat zones. This same standard of active, ongoing engagement applied to every institutional stakeholder involved.

The approach applied in Mali reflects a broader principle for delivery across Africa and other least developed countries: anticipating operational challenges ahead of time, while remaining able to adapt quickly as conditions change. Jaun’s experience in Mali demonstrates the value of this combination of preparation and adaptability under some of the most challenging conditions the region presents. C4 EcoSolutions applies this same approach when designing and delivering adaptation and mitigation projects across Africa and the Global South. For example, C4 is implementing a large-scale ecosystem restoration project in Angola in an area which remains partially contaminated with unexploded ordnance from the 1975–2002 civil war. C4 works with local stakeholders such as government departments and UXO-clearing NGOs to advise on best practices and safely dispose of any ordnance found at the implementation sites.