Adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices in sub-Saharan Africa: A review of the progress, barriers, gender differences and recommendations

Abstract

Climate change is one of the main challenges facing agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa, a region where many rely on rain-fed farming for their livelihoods. Climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAPs) have been identified as a promising solution to combat this problem. This paper reviews the literature on CSAPs in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Specifically, the review describes the existing literature on the adoption of CSAPs in the region, provides a more up-to-date summary of this expanding and important issue and presents an overview of the current evidence of CSAPs as a reliable means for farmers in SSA to address the climate change issues. The existing literature suggests that the rate of adoption of CSAPs in SSA is comparatively low. However, the adoption of CSAPs varies greatly across the region. The studies that constitute this review also provide evidence of the benefits of adopting CSAPs to farmers and the environment, ranging from increased productivity, resilience, and income for farmers, decreased greenhouse gas emissions to improved soil health. The decision to adopt particular CSAPs is influenced by several factors, including personal and social-psychological factors, environmental, physical, and ecological factors, farm and economic factors, as well as institutional, policy, and structural factors. Also, gender-based barriers in agriculture impact the adoption of CSAPs in SSA, placing women at a disadvantage. The review concludes that it is crucial to address the barriers and leverage the drivers to improve the adoption rates of CSAPs in SSA.