The government of Malawi recognizes the risks posed by climate change to its key future sustainable economic growth. Climate change is one of the nine key priority areas outlined in the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy II 2011-2016 (MGDSII) and will continue to be a priority in the 2017-2022 MGDS III. Malawi's narrow economic base and high dependence on rain-fed agriculture, reliance on biomass for household energy, makes the country highly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change and extreme weather events. Successful mainstreaming of climate change into development planning is therefore key and requires modification of policies, strategies and budgets within key sectors at national level, and district level development plans. This project aims to improve the capacity of policy makers and planners to fully incorporate climate risks, particularly in the District Development Plans and Community Development Plans as a pilot to demonstrate the need to integrate adaptation in planning processes.The project has two main objectives;1.Reduce vulnerability to the adverse impacts of climate change, including variability, at local, national, regional and global level2.Increase adaptive capacity to respond to the impacts of climate change, including variability, at local, national, regional and global levelMain Project Activities •Strengthened awareness and ownership of adaptation and climate risk reduction processes at local level. This encompasses capacity building for district staff and beneficiaries in climate change integration in local development planning, policies and regulation.•Participatory vulnerability and adaptation assessments with target communities to prioritise CCA measures focusing on livelihoods improvement. This activity applies integrates Community Based Resilience Analysis to determine community priority interventions. •Support diversified and strengthened livelihoods for vulnerable people in Nkhata Bay, Zomba and Ntcheu through development of Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) capacity and incentivised Community Adaptation Action Plans (CAAPs) •Mainstreaming CCA in broader development frameworks at country level and in targeted vulnerable areas for example ensuring MGDS III incorporates CCA strategies and interventions.•Climate Public Expenditure and institutional analysis to determine Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) expenditures and gaps within district level budgets.