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This case study describes the application of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and microfinance to support smallholder horticulture farmers in the Singida region of Tanzania, focusing on the experience of a youth entrepreneur named Amani Saidi Mwangu.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines how voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) can alleviate poverty for the estimated 500 million smallholder farmer families globally, focusing on access to resources, opportunities, and power.

A statement by Ban Ki-Moon calling for a radical increase in financial assistance and policy support for smallholder farmers to address the climate crisis, ensure food security, and meet the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals.

This case study describes a USD 2.25 million credit guarantee scheme (CGS) established by the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) and the Rabobank Foundation to increase commercial loan access for smallholder coffee farmers and cooperatives in Ethiopia.

The Komaza Smallholder Forestry Vehicle (SFV) is a financial instrument designed to provide low-cost, long-term finance to smallholder farmers and forestry companies in Kenya by packaging tree production partnership contracts for institutional investors.

This executive summary from the Climate Policy Initiative examines the economic risks of palm oil monocropping for independent smallholders in the Berau regency of Eastern Kalimantan, Indonesia. It argues that while palm oil is a popular livelihood, it is insufficient to cover minimum living costs and increases food security risks. The report recommends crop diversification—specifically with maize and cocoa—as a more profitable and resilient alternative that aligns with sustainability goals.

This case study by the World Resources Institute (WRI) examines climate adaptation strategies for coffee-farming communities in Costa Rica, focusing specifically on the Coto Brus region. It identifies key resilience factors, provides six strategic recommendations for the sector, and highlights successful adaptation practices in other Latin American coffee-producing countries.

This case study profiles Sunny Irrigation, a company providing affordable, portable solar-powered water pumps to smallholder farmers in Africa to address challenges related to inconsistent water sources and high upfront costs of irrigation systems.

This report describes a project funded by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and implemented by Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD) to scale up climate-smart agriculture (CSA) in Nepal. The project focused on three agro-ecological zones—the Terai, mid-hills, and high hills—to identify and pilot technologies that increase productivity, build resilience to climate variability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with a specific emphasis on the needs of women and poor farmers.

This case study describes the 'Scaling-up of climate-smart agriculture in Nepal' project, funded by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN). The project aims to increase the resilience of farming communities across different agro-ecosystems by promoting climate-smart agricultural technologies and identifying strategies for scaling these initiatives.

This briefing note outlines the results of a three-year programme titled 'Putting lessons into practice: Scaling up People/s Biodiversity Management for Food Security', implemented by Oxfam Novib and the International Fund for Agricultural Development in Peru, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. The programme aimed to strengthen the rights and technical capacities of indigenous peoples and smallholder farmers regarding the sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food security.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative describes a landscape management approach designed to transform Indonesia's oil palm sector into a high-productivity, sustainable industry. The approach, supported by Unilever and IDH, moves beyond simple supply chain traceability to manage agricultural production and ecosystem protection across connected areas of land at scale. The document details a five-step implementation process and highlights a pilot project in Sei Mangkei, North Sumatra, aimed at improving land-use planning, increasing smallholder productivity, and protecting peat and forest ecosystems.

The Agricultural Supply Chain Adaptation Facility (ASCAF) is a proposed 'value chain financing' mechanism designed to catalyze private investment in climate resilience for small- and medium-sized agricultural producers in low- and middle-income countries. Administered by Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and backed by donor-funded first-loss guarantees, the facility aims to enable agribusiness corporations to provide medium- to long-term loans and technical assistance to their suppliers for climate-adaptive investments.

This policy brief describes the Adapta Sertão programme, an initiative designed to strengthen the adaptive capacity of small family farmers in Brazil's semi-arid region through community-based adaptation (CBA) and integrated partnerships.

This policy brief examines climate vulnerability and adaptation strategies for smallholder farmers in the Bacia do Jacuípe region of the Brazilian Sertão. It highlights the impact of rising temperatures and decreasing rainfall on milk productivity and evaluates the effectiveness of pilot projects implemented by the Adapta Sertão coalition to improve adaptive capacity through improved animal diets and irrigation.

This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the role of the banking sector in providing agricultural finance that supports climate adaptation within agro-value chains, with a particular focus on developing countries in Africa and a case study on the coffee sector in Uganda.

This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Makerere University (MAK) examines the impacts of climate change on the coffee value chain in Uganda. Based on a 2013 pilot initiative using 'climate dialogue theatres,' the document argues for an integrated approach to climate adaptation that moves beyond the production level to include processing and marketing. It identifies systemic vulnerabilities, including a lack of trust between actors and a critical gap in agricultural financing, and recommends strengthening partnerships, developing flexible financial products, and investing in climate-resilient infrastructure.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) evaluates the alignment of the G-20 food security agenda with the interests of the African continent. The analysis finds that while the G-20's commitments broadly align with African policy processes—particularly regarding food-price volatility, agricultural productivity, and nutrition—the G-20 has been slow to implement regulatory reforms and provide significant funding for African agriculture. The author argues that the G-20 often overlooks systemic issues requiring internal reform, such as biofuel policies and commodity speculation, which significantly impact food security in developing regions.

This research paper examines the factors influencing the climate change adaptation strategies of smallholder farmers in the semi-arid Nguru Local Government Area of Nigeria, utilizing a stepwise multiple linear regression model based on data from 250 households.

This report, commissioned by the UNDP and implemented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), assesses climate risks to crop production—specifically maize, beans, and coffee—in Uganda's Rakai and Kapchorwa districts. It identifies that while Uganda has seen economic growth, its heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture makes it highly vulnerable to increasing droughts, floods, and rising temperatures. The study combines local consultations, crop modelling, and literature reviews to recommend a holistic risk management approach involving conservation agriculture, improved irrigation, stress-resistant crop varieties, and strengthened national governance and coordination.