Search Climate Insights Directory

The document examines the critical state of food storage, transport, and logistics in Uganda, Kenya, and Ghana, noting that underdeveloped infrastructure leads to post-harvest losses of 3040% for perishables. It argues that integrating these systems into agroecological transitionssuch as using solar-powered cold storage and intermediate transport like bicycles and motorbikescan reduce waste and empower smallholder farmers. The brief highlights specific national hurdles, including aflatoxin contamination in Uganda, uneven road networks in Kenya, and a focus on national rather than household storage in Ghana. It recommends that philanthropic and government funding prioritize local stakeholder participation, renewable energy solutions, and evidence-based research to build climate-resilient food systems.

The document examines the intersection of trade policy and food systems transformation in Africa, specifically advocating for the alignment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) with agroecological principles. It identifies significant hurdles to this transition, including high intra-continental tariffs, complex non-tariff barriers, and the dominance of industrial agriculture. The briefing emphasizes the role of territorial markets in supporting smallholder farmers and calls for philanthropic investment to bridge funding gaps, as agroecology currently receives less than 10% of total agricultural funding in Africa. It provides specific recommendations for philanthropies to support local food trade, advocate for policy changes that recognize ecological services, and invest in capacity-building for agroecological communities.

The document advocates for a 'deep' just transition in African food systems that prioritizes human rights, structural equity, and agroecology over industrialization. It highlights the vulnerabilities of African food systems to climate change and the risks of 'modernization' policies that favor agribusiness. Using South Africa's highly unequal, industrial food system as a cautionary example, the brief recommends that philanthropies shift toward long-term, flexible funding for multi-actor coalitions, grassroots initiatives, and participatory research to foster systemic change.

The policy brief highlights how market concentration in African agrifood systems, particularly in inputs like fertilisers and poultry feed, inflates food prices and undermines the ability of smallholder farmers to adapt to climate shocks. It notes that nearly half of Sub-Saharan African countries lack functional competition laws. The document recommends a three-pillar reform agenda based on market intelligence, regional cooperation (such as through the COMESA Competition Commission), and international donor support to dismantle cartels and ensure fair market access, especially for women-led agribusinesses.

The document examines the role of extension and advisory services (EAS) in scaling agroecology across Africa to combat food insecurity, climate change, and land degradation. It identifies systemic barriers to this transition, including a severe shortage of extension workers—with ratios as high as 1:10,000 in some Nigerian states—and a funding bias toward industrial agricultural models. The brief recommends that donors shift toward long-term, community-driven, and gender-sensitive funding mechanisms that prioritize local and indigenous knowledge over top-down, one-size-fits-all industrial approaches.

The document argues that while agroecology offers a sustainable alternative to industrial agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa, these transitions are not gender-neutral and often overlook the systemic barriers facing women. It highlights how women's indigenous knowledge is critical for biodiversity and resilience, yet they face significant hurdles in land tenure, financing, and market access. The brief provides recommendations for philanthropic and governmental support to ensure equity, including long-term funding and investment in women-led cooperatives and processing infrastructure.

The document argues that while Africa's food systems face profound climate impacts, only a small fraction of adaptation finance reaches local actors. It proposes a shift toward 'locally led adaptation' through principles like subsidiarity, flexible funding, and risk-taking, alongside practical strategies such as engaging local governance, supporting microfinance, and leveraging digital technologies like blockchain.

The document examines 'territorial markets' in Africa—informal retail spaces where 70–90% of agricultural products are traded. It argues that while these markets are essential for food security, nutrition, and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and women, they are frequently neglected or criminalized by governments. Through case studies in Benin, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa, the brief highlights systemic failures in infrastructure and legal protections, advocating for philanthropic and government investment to align these markets with agroecological principles.

The IISD's State of Sustainability Initiatives (SSI) provides research and strategic advice to improve voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) and promote sustainable production, consumption, and trade. Its strategy focuses on improving VSS design, increasing synergies between standards and policy, and enhancing transparency for small-scale farmers and MSMEs. The program offers services including benchmarking, policy formulation, and implementation support through pilots and training.

The document argues that carbon markets can fill a critical funding gap for African smallholder farmers, who received only 0.8% of climate finance in 2023. It highlights that soil carbon interventions provide dual benefits of climate mitigation and adaptation by improving soil health, water retention, and crop yields. However, the briefing notes that African agriculture remains underrepresented in carbon markets, with only 12 identified projects across the continent. Barriers include high soil sampling costs, strict evidence requirements for baselines, and a lack of localised research. The author recommends that policymakers avoid 'one-size-fits-all' regulations and instead prioritise projects that deliver non-carbon co-benefits like food security and nutrition.

The report details the creation of a management tool designed to help agribusinesses align their operations with international responsible investment standards, specifically the CFS-RAI Principles and IFC Performance Standards. Through pilot testing with five companies in Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and Senegal, the report identifies that RAI compliance is heavily influenced by a company's mission, the formality of its management systems, and external business conditions. While the tool was well-received for its 'language of business' approach, the report notes that resource constraints in smaller SMEs may hinder independent adoption, suggesting a need for support from investors and technical assistance providers.

The document outlines a two-pronged approach for governments to support agricultural cooperatives: creating a supportive regulatory and infrastructural environment and implementing initiatives for professional management. It emphasizes integrating sustainability and voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) to improve market access and climate resilience, while providing diverse case studies from countries like Cambodia, China, and Costa Rica to illustrate successful models such as land shareholding cooperatives.

The report assesses gender-based disparities in Ethiopia, specifically focusing on how climate change disproportionately affects women and female-headed households in the Amhara and Oromia regions. It highlights systemic inequalities in land ownership, education, and decision-making, and recommends gender-responsive strategies for water and irrigation projects to ensure equitable access and empowerment.

The report analyzes gender inequalities in Burundi's agricultural sector, highlighting barriers such as limited land rights, patriarchal decision-making, and low literacy among women. It outlines a Gender Action Plan by One Acre Fund (1AF) to increase female participation through tailored credit certificates, gender-sensitive training, and the collection of sex-disaggregated data to improve climate resilience for Burundian smallholders.

The report finds that while agrarian reform settlements occupy only 8% of the Amazon biome, they accounted for 24% of its forest loss in 2023. Deforestation is highly concentrated, with 5% of settlements responsible for 65% of the loss in settled areas between 2017 and 2023. The analysis suggests that large-scale clearing is likely driven by external actors rather than smallholder farmers. Geographically, 63% of this deforestation is concentrated in three Incra Regional Superintendencies: Santarém, Sul do Pará, and Amazonas. The authors recommend that the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMA), Ibama, and Incra implement focalized interventions in these priority settlements to enhance conservation.

The document examines the tensions between the industrial growth strategy of South Africa's beef sector and the goals of a just transition. It highlights a 'dualistic' industry where commercial production is highly concentrated and intensive, while smallholder farmers face significant barriers to market entry. The report argues that current efforts to integrate smallholders into commercial value chains may benefit only a small elite and fail to address broader agrarian inequalities. Ecologically, it notes that beef cattle are the largest source of agricultural GHG emissions in South Africa, primarily through enteric fermentation. While the industry promotes 'sustainable intensification' and regenerative grazing, the report cautions that these may not offset total emissions growth and may not address the socio-economic distribution of emissions. It concludes that a just transition requires setting ambitious emission limits, redistributing productive resources like land, and reconfiguring labour markets to improve conditions for farm workers.

The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) aims to eliminate deforestation-driven imports of commodities like palm oil, rubber, cocoa, coffee, soy, and cattle. However, the briefing highlights that stringent due diligence requirements—including geolocation and traceability—risk excluding smallholder farmers in Southeast Asia who lack the financial resources, technical capacity, and legal land tenure to comply. The document argues that without targeted support, such as knowledge hubs, financial mechanisms for compliance costs, and improved stakeholder coordination, smallholders may be pushed out of the global value chain. It emphasizes that local context is critical, as many smallholders operate through informal transactions and lack the certifications required by the EU market.

The report assesses the avocado value chain in East Africa, emphasizing the transition toward sustainable practices to support economic growth and rural development. It identifies that sustainability can protect the environment, improve smallholder farmer livelihoods, and facilitate entry into global markets. To overcome barriers to this transition, the document suggests increasing access to affordable finance, providing training in climate-smart farming, and creating market-focused policies.

Tropic Coffee is a Rwandan SME that processes and exports specialty Arabica coffee, working with approximately 3,000 farmers. An assessment using the RAI Tool for Agribusiness found the company has a moderately high level of compliance with responsible investment principles, scoring particularly high in inclusive governance, stakeholder treatment, and contributions to food security. Key strengths include the empowerment of women through savings groups and specialty market access, and the provision of free shade fruit trees to farmers. However, the company lacks a formal documented business strategy on responsible conduct and faces financial constraints regarding the cost of certifications and the lack of its own dry milling facilities. The report recommends that the company formalize its RAI strategy and that the Rwandan government consider more flexible cherry pricing frameworks to better link farmer payments to international market fluctuations.

The RAI Tool is a Microsoft Excel-based reference tool developed by IISD and Cerise+SPTF to help agribusinesses align their operations with the CFS-RAI Principles and IFC Performance Standards. It focuses on seven dimensions of responsible conduct, ranging from strategy and accountability to financial transparency. The tool is intended as a management and conversation starter rather than a rating system, guiding users through a three-phase assessment process: preparation (including desk reviews), field visits and interviews, and the development of a prioritised action plan to address identified gaps.