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In this paper we examine whether there are significant gender differences in the adoption of climate‐smart agricultural (CSA) practices in sub‐Saharan Africa. Using individual‐level data from four sites in Kenya, Uganda and Senegal, our empirical analysis provides robust evidence that men have a higher likelihood of adopting high‐return CSA practices including modern chemical fertiliser, improved high‐yielding varieties and drought/pest tolerant livestock practices. In contrast, women tend to have a higher likelihood of adopting low‐risk and low‐return traditional CSA practices such as water harvesting, crop covering, rangeland management and pest management. Our subsample analysis shows significant heterogeneity in the gender gap across countries. The results of the decomposition of the observed gender gap show that personal values and norms, access to weather and production information and farm characteristics are important factors that explain the gender differential in the likelihood of CSA adoption. Our findings imply that equalising access to key resources such as plots of land, information and decision making power will be crucial to close the gender gap in the adoption of CSA practices. This is particularly important given the differential impacts of climate change between men and women in sub‐Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is increasingly affecting agriculture worldwide, causing yield losses and undermining food security. Behind the international consensus on the urgent need for ambitious policies to adapt agriculture to climate change (AACC) hides a competition between three agricultural models—agroecology, climate-smart agriculture, and conventional agriculture—each carrying distinctive perspective on how agriculture should adapt to climate change. To date, no study has shown which of these three agricultural models is promoted the most by climate change adaptation policies. To shed light on this question, we undertook semi-structured surveys with resource persons, a literature review and a multi-criteria analysis, identifying and characterizing 226 AACC policy initiatives in seven countries or regions in the north (Andalusia, Occitanie, California, Guadeloupe) and the south (Colombia, South Africa, Senegal). Our aim was to identify (1) concrete strategic options mobilized by policy initiatives to adapt agriculture to climate change and (2) agricultural models that are implicitly or explicitly promoted by these policy initiatives. We identified 14 climate change adaptation options that mobilize a set of three complementary levers of action: (i) transforming production systems or enabling access to productive resources, (ii) providing access to knowledge that is useful for AACC, and (iii) coordinating and financing adaptation actions at territorial or sector scale. Agroecology and climate-smart agriculture are the two agricultural models favored in the mix of policy initiatives in all the studied sites. Despite conceptual differences, in real-life situations, these models do not conflict with each other since they are often promoted concomitantly. AACC policy initiatives, although diversified, seem too fragmented and not sufficiently restrictive to bring about rapid and profound change. This paper presents a new classification of AACC adaptation options, and is the first to reveal which agricultural models are promoted by policy initiatives in a wide range of regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food security, poverty and the overall sustainability of food and agricultural systems are influenced by a series of global trends. Nowadays, economic growth, population dynamics, and climate change disproportionately affect different regions. Conventional agriculture also contributes to accentuating these changes. As a result, we are faced with several challenges in the fields of food and agriculture. So, innovative systems are needed to protect and enhance the natural resource base as productivity increases. Consequently, today, but also in the future, the farming systems that counteract the negative impact of climate change must be in the attention of practitioners. Moreover, regulations in the field are necessary, and the implementation of such systems must be carried out in relation to the specificity of the geographical area. In view of the above, in the present paper, a brief overview was made on some agricultural systems aimed at counteracting the negative effects of global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate change adaptation field has evolved considerably in recent years. Important contributions have been made, with scholars developing methods for assessing vulnerability in different countries and communities, documenting broad strategies for adaptation and identifying opportunities for and barriers to adaptation as well as ways to enhance adaptive capacity. Issues of sustainability are, however, not readily argued and embraced. Predominantly, our analysis exposes that current adaptation discourse, particularly in Africa, offers a narrow conceptualisation of sustainability. The paper argues for a clear framework of sustainability in adaptation discourse which encompasses awareness to contextual aspects in responding to climate variability and change as well as resilience aspects. The paper also calls for an expansion of the knowledge base around the concept of 'climate-smart agriculture' towards effectively incorporating sustainability aspects in climate change adaptation discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's agricultural systems are increasingly affected by climate change's adverse effects. The Government of India has an impressive set of programs to address this issue, but they have substantial shortcomings, especially in reaching women farmers. We aim to understand policy and implementation gaps in reaching women farmers with climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices and study how women and men farmer's different roles in agriculture shape their needs and access to complementary services needed to adapt to climate change. An extensive review of India's agriculture and climate policies and program and a series of focus group discussions with farmers in Gujarat, India to discuss constraints and potential entry points for better reaching women farmers with CSA practices. Women's increased vulnerability to climate change and reduced access to CSA practices can be attributed to limited land ownership, poor access to credit, reduced access to information and formal extension, and multiple pressures on their time. Village cooperatives and self-help groups can be leveraged to support women's access to agricultural information and adoption of CSA practices. This paper highlights constraints to information and extension access by Indian women farmers that could impede the widespread adoption of CSA practices. It fills an important knowledge gap in designing gender-responsive policies and inclusive agricultural extension systems to promote adoption of CSA practices among smallholder farmers. [Display omitted] • Women farmers have limited land ownership, access to credit, access to information and formal extension, and time, constraining adoption of climate smart practices. • Building gender-responsive extension systems is critical for promoting adoption of climate smart agriculture practices. • Knowledge of gendered experience of climate change, availability of gender-disaggregated data and gendered analyses are important aspects. • Participatory approaches to policy making and involvement of local and community organizations needs to be strengthened in India. • Village cooperatives and self-help groups can be key intermediary organizations to support women's access to information and adoption of CSA practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing weather risks threaten agricultural production systems and food security across the world. Maintaining agricultural growth while minimizing climate shocks is crucial to building a resilient food production system and meeting developmental goals in vulnerable countries. Experts have proposed several technological, institutional and policy interventions to help farmers adapt to current and future weather variability and to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This paper presents the climate-smart village (CSV) approach as a means of performing agricultural research for development that robustly tests technological and institutional options for dealing with climatic variability and climate change in agriculture using participatory methods. It aims to scale up and scale out the appropriate options and draw out lessons for policy makers from local to global levels. The approach incorporates evaluation of climate-smart technologies, practices, services and processes relevant to local climatic risk management and identifies opportunities for maximizing adaptation gains from synergies across different interventions and recognizing potential maladaptation and trade-offs. It ensures that these are aligned with local knowledge and link into development plans. This paper describes early results in Asia, Africa and Latin America to illustrate different examples of the CSV approach in diverse agroecological settings. Results from initial studies indicate that the CSV approach has a high potential for scaling out promising climate-smart agricultural technologies, practices and services. Climate analog studies indicate that the lessons learned at the CSV sites would be relevant to adaptation planning in a large part of global agricultural land even under scenarios of climate change. Key barriers and opportunities for further work are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture affects and is affected by climate change. The development of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an effective way for agricultural production to cope with climate change. The rice-crayfish coculture system is a combination of the concept of climate-smart agriculture with the experience of traditional Chinese mixed crop-fish systems. This paper reviews the advantages and potential risks of rice-crayfish coculture with respect to climate, ecological environment and economic benefits, and summarises the successful management strategies and operation experiences during the implementation of this CSA practice in Qianjiang City. We also introduce various mixed crop-fish systems in China and suggest the potential of using wetland resources to develop mixed crop-fish systems and CSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture affects and is affected by climate change. The development of climatesmart agriculture (CSA) is an effective way for agricultural production to cope with climate change. The rice-crayfish coculture system is a combination of the concept of climate-smart agriculture with the experience of traditional Chinese mixed crop-fish systems. This paper reviews the advantages and potential risks of rice-crayfish coculture with respect to climate, ecological environment and economic benefits, and summarises the successful management strategies and operation experiences during the implementation of this CSA practice in Qianjiang City. We also introduce various mixed crop-fish systems in China and suggest the potential of using wetland resources to develop mixed crop-fish systems and CSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The livestock sector in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is under increasing pressure to define its role in jointly addressing food security and climate change. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has been widely leveraged as an approach to achieving both food security and climate change outcomes through suites of interventions that maximize synergies and reduce tradeoffs among three pillars: productivity, climate change resilience, and climate change mitigation. However, operationalization of the CSA approach in the livestock sector is hindered by a lack of clarity around what the pillars mean for livestock systems, given their fundamental attributes compared to crops and the spatial and temporal dimensions of these attributes. A conceptual framework is also lacking for assessing and comparing the potential CSA synergies and tradeoffs that different livestock systems and interventions may generate. In this paper we aim to offer guidance on the operationalization of the CSA approach in the livestock sector. We draw on a literature review to explore the essential attributes of livestock systems in SSA as they relate to CSA objectives over different temporal and spatial scales. Based on this review, we propose a practical and flexible framework for assessing and comparing the synergies and tradeoffs that different livestock systems may generate among food security and climate change objectives over different spatial and temporal scales. The framework consists of four elements: CSA pillars, spatial-temporal scales, CSA objectives mapped to each spatial-temporal scale, and indicator guidance. Using farm survey data and national statistics, an illustrative application of the framework to two dairy farms in Rwanda is presented and discussed. The illustrative application demonstrates how the framework can be used to identify important, spatial-temporal CSA synergies and tradeoffs that otherwise may go unrecognized. Additional applications are needed to assess the utility, practicality, and potential of the framework to guide CSA operationalization in the livestock sector in SSA. Maximizing synergies and reducing tradeoffs among food security and climate change outcomes in the livestock sector is critical for a sustainable food future. With an emphasis on flexibility for tailoring to specific development contexts and compatibility with varying levels of data availability and methodological complexity, the framework is intended to support diverse stakeholders involved in policy and development seeking to identify those livestock systems that contribute most to food security and climate change objectives over time and space. [Display omitted] • Maximizing synergies among food security & climate change in the livestock sector is critical for a sustainable future. • However, the climate-smart agriculture (CSA) approach has not been fully operationalized in livestock sector development. • Spatial & temporal dimensions determine when, where, and for whom CSA synergies & tradeoffs in the livestock sector arise. • We propose a spatial-temporal framework to assess and compare the CSA synergies & tradeoffs of different livestock systems. • Applying the framework can help identify important CSA synergies & tradeoffs that otherwise may go unrecognized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-smart interventions in agriculture have varying costs and environmental and economic impacts. Their implementation requires appropriate investment decisions by policy makers that are relevant for current as well as future scenarios of agro-ecology, climate and economic development. Decision support tools are therefore needed to assist different stakeholders to prioritize and hence implement appropriate strategic interventions. These interventions transform agriculture ecosystems to climate-resilient, adaptive and efficient. This paper outlines the mathematical modelling framework of one such, the Climate Smart Agricultural Prioritization (CSAP) toolkit. This toolkit employs a dynamic, spatially-explicit multi-objective optimization model to explore a range of agricultural growth pathways coupled with climate-adaptation strategies to meet agricultural development and environmental goals. The toolkit consists of three major components: (i) land evaluation including assessment of resource availability, land suitability, yield and input-output estimation for all promising crop production practices and technologies for key agro-ecological units; (ii) formulation of scenarios based on policy views and development plans; and (iii) land-use optimization in the form of linear programming models. Climate change and socio-economic drivers condition the land evaluation, technological input-output relations, and specification of optimization objectives that define modelled scenarios. By integrating detailed bottom-up biophysical, climate impact and agricultural-emissions models, CSAP is capable of supporting multi-objective analysis of agricultural production goals in relation to food self-sufficiency, incomes, employment and mitigation targets, thus supporting a wide range of analyses ranging from food security assessment to environmental impact assessment to preparation of climate smart development plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is one response to the challenges faced by agriculture due to climate change. As with other sustainability transitions, technological innovation is highlighted as playing a critical role, however, the adoption and diffusion of technological innovations in OECD countries is slow. The aim of this paper is to identify key socio-economic barriers, in terms of supply and demand, that inhibit the adoption and diffusion of CSA technological innovations in Europe. To achieve this aim, a theoretical framework is constructed based on a literature review of socio-economic barriers effecting adoption and diffusion. This framework is explored with data from semi-structured interviews with CSA technology providers and members of agricultural supply chains, such as farmers associations and consumer goods producers (the end-users of the technology). Data was collected on the barriers they experienced, with interviews conducted in the Netherlands, France, Switzerland and Italy. This data was thematically coded and categorised to identify key barrier typologies. The results demonstrate that barriers exist on both the demand (user) and supply (technology provider) sides. The paper provides recommendations for increasing the adoption and diffusion of CSA technological innovations, as well as implications for the CSA and innovation literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change threatens agricultural production and the food security of developing countries in complex ways that demand environmentally friendly innovations. Climate-smart agriculture provides a response to climate change whilst enhancing livelihood of farmers. Climate-smart agricultural technological innovations at farm level have the potential to address climate-related challenges. However, inadequate adoption of these technologies remains a problem. This paper identifies available climate-smart agricultural technological innovations in South Africa and explores their characteristics and context of use using an exploratory research approach. An overview of climate change risks and variability in South Africa and a framework to classify the technological innovations is established based on a literature review. Interviews with expert stakeholders are used to characterise and collect information on available technologies. Results indicate that Conservation Agriculture, Rainwater Harvesting and Seed Varieties that are Drought Tolerant and Early Maturing may be the most suited technologies for climate-smart agriculture in South Africa, particularly for smallholder farmers. However, high initial investment costs, additional labour requirements and management intensity associated with conservation agriculture and rainwater harvesting may pose problems within the South African context. Drought Tolerant and Early Maturing Seed Varieties were noted as less costly and less management intensive, creating better prospects for adoption. This study serves as an initial assessment through the exploration of the available climate-smart agricultural technologies in South Africa. This is essential given that the agricultural sector is faced with the dilemma of responding to climate change related challenges whilst increasing the productivity of farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation agriculture (CA) practices of reduced soil tillage, permanent organic soil coverage and intercropping/crop rotation, are being advocated globally, based on perceived benefits for crop yields, soil carbon storage, weed suppression, reduced soil erosion and improved soil water retention. However, some have questioned their efficacy due to uncertainty around the performance and trade-offs associated with CA practices, and their compatibility with the diverse livelihood strategies and varied agro-ecological conditions across African smallholder systems. This paper assesses the role of key institutions in Malawi in shaping pathways towards more sustainable land management based on CA by outlining their impact on national policy-making and the design and implementation of agricultural development projects. It draws on interviews at national, district and project levels and a multi-stakeholder workshop that mapped the institutional landscape of decision-making for agricultural land management practices. Findings identify knowledge gaps and institutional barriers that influence land management decision-making and constrain CA uptake. We use our findings to set out an integrated roadmap of research needs and policy options aimed at supporting CA as a route to enhanced sustainable land management in Malawi. Findings offer lessons that can inform design, planning and implementation of CA projects, and identify the multi-level institutional support structures required for mainstreaming sustainable land management in sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interconnectedness between climate change and development has generated an increasing interest amongst development organisations to integrate adaptation into government rural development plans in a way that effectively increases resilience at a local level. However, the nature of climate change resilience is widely debated in the literature, and there is a knowledge gap regarding the best way to address adaptation at the interface with development objectives as part of mainstreaming. This paper aims to address this knowledge gap via a case study of a community-based, Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) project in Vietnam. A case study approach was applied with fieldwork at one project site, complemented by semi-structured interviews with government stakeholders, key experts, and project leaders of related projects. The analysis identifies five key factors that enhance rural resilience in a smallholder agricultural context: (i) engaging local governments as partners, (ii) considering broader landscape issues such as markets, (iii) providing farmers with support to facilitate adoption of CSA practices, (iv) fostering community capacity building, and (v) promoting adaptive management and scenario planning to deal with uncertainty. The paper concludes that resilience is multidimensional and not solely in line with any one of the approaches dominant in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-smart agriculture is an approach for developing agricultural strategies to modernize agricultural systems using digital techniques, aiming for sustainable agriculture and ensuring food security under climate change. This article provides a systematic literature review of smart agriculture technologies towards climate-smart agriculture in Cyprus, including robotics, Internet of Things, and remote sensing. The paper starts with a review of climate-smart agriculture, presenting its importance in terms of optimizing agricultural production processes in order to address the interlinked challenges of food security and climate change. An extensive literature review of works published in the areas of robotics, Internet of Things, and remote sensing is undertaken, with particular attention paid to works carried out in relation to agriculture in Cyprus. The paper analyzes aspects of the climate-smart agriculture research situation in Cypriot agriculture, identifies gaps, and concludes with new directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice production in Nigeria is vulnerable to climate risks and rice farmers over time have experienced the risks and their respective impacts on rice farming. Rice farmers have also responded to perceived climate risks with strategies believed to be climate-smart. Farmers' perception of climate risks is an important first step of determining any action to be taken to counteract the negative effects of climate change on agriculture. Studies on the link between perceived climate risks and farmers' response strategies are increasing. However, there are limited studies on the determinants of rice farmers' perception of climate events. The paper therefore examined climate change perception and uptake of climate-smart agriculture in rice production in Ebonyi State, Nigeria using cross-sectional data from 347 rice farmers in an important rice-producing area in Nigeria. Principal component analysis, multivariate probit regression model and descriptive statistics were adopted for data analysis. Perceived climate events include increased rainfall intensity, prolonged dry seasons, frequent floods, rising temperature, severe windstorms, unpredictable rainfall pattern and distribution, late onset rain, and early cessation of rain. Farmers' socioeconomic, farm and institutional characteristics influenced their perception of climate change. Additionally, rice farmers used a variety of climate-smart practices and technologies to respond to the perceived climate events. Such climate-smart practices include planting improved rice varieties, insurance, planting different crops, livelihood diversification, soil and water conservation techniques, adjusting planting and harvesting dates, irrigation, reliance on climate information and forecasts, planting on the nursery, appropriate application of fertilizer and efficient and effective use of pesticides. These climate-smart agricultural measures were further delineated into five broad packages using principal component analysis. These packages include crop and land management practices, climate-based services and irrigation, livelihood diversification and soil fertility management, efficient and effective use of pesticide and planting on the nursery. High fertilizer costs, lack of access to inputs, insufficient land, insufficient capital, pests and diseases, floods, scorching sun, high labour cost, insufficient climate information, and poor extension services were the barriers to uptake of climate-smart agriculture in rice production. Rice farmers should be supported to implement climate-smart agriculture in rice production in order to achieve the objectives of increased rice productivity and income, food security, climate resilience and mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]