Rice production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has increaed ten-fold since 1961, whereas its consumption has exceeded the production and the regional self-sufficiency rate is only 48% in 2020. Increase in rice production has come mainly from increased harvested area. Yield increase has been limited and the current average yield in SSA is around 2 t ha−1.

Ethiopian agriculture generates about 36% of GDP and 66% of employment. It is deeply affected by climate change, uncertainty, and extremes, all of which significantly reduce GDP. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) can reduce the risks and impacts of climate change. The CSA concept calls for meeting three key objectives or pillars: i) sustainably increasing food security through productivity increases (productivity, P); ii) building resilience and adapting to climate change (adaptation, A), and iii) reducing greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation, M)

The Department of Crop Production coordinated with the International Rice Research Institute in Vietnam to develop this technical guideline for rice-producing provinces in the Red River Delta. The guideline focused on reducing inputs, improving efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change for rice production.

The Zambezi River Basin (ZRB) in southern Africa connects eight riparian countries—Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The population there mostly reside rurally, and over 80 percent of agriculture is attributed to smallholder farmers facing the brunt of the climate crisis. Digital technologies can facilitate and enhance climate adaptation and resilience, but their potential in ZRB is unassessed and the use relatively low.

Indicators of CSA practices/technologies are crucial to measure the performance of CSA practices/technologies and use as a guideline for data collection on the evaluation of CSA practices and technologies. Various indicators of CSA practices under the five categories including crop production, livestock production, integrated soil fertility management, erosion control, water management, and forestry/agroforestry management were identified using experts knowledge and literature review.

Climate variability and extreme weather events such as floods and droughts continue to increase due to climate change. These changes will have significant impacts on low- and middle-income countries. Without transformative climate adaptation solutions, millions of smallholder farmers will face severe losses because of increased climate variability.

Introduction: In rainfed agricultural systems, sustainable and efficient water management practices are key to improved agricultural productivity and natural resource management. The agricultural system in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) relies heavily on the availability of rainfall. With the erratic and unreliable rainfall pattern associated with poor and fragile soils, agricultural productivity has remained very low over the years. Much of the SSA agricultural land has been degraded with low fertility as a result of ongoing cultivation and wind and water erosion.

In Sub-Sahara Africa agriculture is predominantly rainfed and faces several challenges due to unpredictable weather patterns and distribution that is amplified by climate change. The rising temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, and increased frequency of extreme events contribute to the vulnerability of farmers as well as leading to crop failure, low yields, land degradation among others. These factors compound the difficulties for smallholder farmers, making it more challenging for them to produce adequate food to meet the demands of a growing population.

An insightful session on the topic “Decentralized Solutions for Water Management” was organized at India Water Week on 3rd November 2022 under CGIAR Initiative on National Policies & Strategies (NPS). The session was chaired by Dr. Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Water Resources, Odisha and Ms. Archana Verma, Mission Director, National Water Mission. The session emphasized the need to identify decentralized solutions for managing water through appropriate technologies and new ideas.

Most social-ecological landscapes are under threat due to poor resource management compounded by the impacts of climate change. The international Water Management Institute (IWMI) employs an inclusive landscape management approach for scaling innovations to transform food systems in degraded landscapes. This video highlights such innovations being deployed in Ghana through the #ONECGIAR Initiative on Transforming Food Systems in West and Central Africa (TAFS-WCA).

Access to sufficient and clean freshwater is essential for all life. Water is also essential for the functioning of food systems: as a key input into food production, but also in processing and preparation, and as a food itself. Water scarcity and pollution are growing, affecting poorer populations most, and particularly food producers. Malnutrition levels are also on the rise, and this is closely linked to water scarcity. The achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2 and 6 are co-dependent.

The CWANA (Central and West Asia and North Africa) region was once considered the birthplace of civilizations and played a significant role in sustaining ancient empires like the Romans through its agricultural productivity. The area is characterized by diverse agroclimatic conditions, which vary across the countries in this extensive region in terms of climate, soil, and topography. Agriculture continues to make a significant contribution to the GDP of many CWANA countries, creating job opportunities and ensuring food security.