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The document argues that while the energy transition is accelerating, current efforts are insufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C, and the shift in energy demand will fundamentally reshape global trade and geopolitics. It highlights a significant investment gap, noting that emerging markets and developing economies outside China account for only about 15% of global clean energy spending. The report identifies several trade-related barriers, including protectionist tariffs on electric vehicles, divergent technical standards, and the persistence of fossil fuel subsidies, which reached $7 trillion globally in 2023. It specifically warns that Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanisms (BCAs) and Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions in investment treaties may disproportionately burden developing nations. To achieve an equitable transition, the authors recommend reforming WTO subsidy rules, increasing financial support for local value addition in critical minerals, and coordinating the phase-out of fossil fuel production.

The paper defines Zombie Energy Systems (ZES) as outdated, inefficient, and environmentally harmful energy assets that persist in Africa despite being obsolete. It argues that the current international focus on new renewable energy projects overlooks the necessity of decommissioning or rehabilitating these failing systems, which include ageing power plants, inefficient grids, and second-hand appliances. The authors trace the origins of ZES to colonial legacies, poor maintenance, and political corruption, and propose a holistic strategy involving comprehensive system assessments, regulatory strengthening, and local capacity building to ensure a just and effective energy transition.

The report maps nearly one hundred agreements on critical minerals between African states and global actors, highlighting the strategic competition for resources. It identifies a lack of transparency in these deals and notes that while China and Russia are prominent, other actors like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are expanding their footprints. The analysis emphasizes that these partnerships often reflect broader geopolitical and historical ties rather than just economic needs.

The document reports on interviews with 1,500 farmers in ten African mountain regions, identifying increased temperatures, reduced fog, and erratic rainfall as primary climatic changes. These changes have led to lower yields for maize, cassava, and coffee, as well as reduced milk production and increased soil erosion. Farmers are adapting through on-farm strategies like changing planting dates and adopting new crop varieties, though wealth and conflict significantly influence the capacity to adapt. The brief recommends improving access to credit and markets, enhancing knowledge exchange, and accounting for the impacts of violent conflict in adaptation planning.

The report examines how urban green space access is often socially determined by income, gender, and age, particularly in rapidly growing cities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It highlights that lower-income communities often prioritize provisioning services—such as food and fuel—over the aesthetic or health-related benefits typically emphasized in high-income contexts. The authors argue that top-down planning frequently fails these populations and can lead to gentrification or social opposition. Using a case study from the Nakuru River area in Kenya, the report identifies systemic barriers to community-led management, including unclear governmental responsibilities, funding shortfalls, and the influence of external NGOs. It concludes that equitable urban greening requires integrating infrastructure improvements and employment opportunities with participatory design that includes women, youth, and people with disabilities.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) examines the complex nexus of climate change, migration, and justice. It argues that climate change acts as a risk multiplier that interacts with socio-economic and political factors rather than being a sole driver of migration. The document identifies eight key challenges—including the oversimplification of the climate-conflict-migration link, the risks of instrumentalizing migration as adaptation, and the impacts of slow-onset events—and proposes interdisciplinary, rights-based solutions. SEI highlights its strengths in analyzing transboundary climate impacts, conducting grounded comparative research to shift power dynamics, and fostering global cooperation for sustainable livelihoods through tools like AidAtlas and Trase.

The document advocates for integrating agroecology into the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) nexus to transform African food systems from industrial, extractive models to resilient, equitable ones. It highlights that while agroecology offers a science-based alternative, it is often fragmented and underfunded. The authors propose that philanthropic organisations, due to their risk tolerance and flexibility, can bridge these gaps by funding policy integration, capacity building, and research. The brief outlines the multi-scalar benefits of the WEF nexus—from the farm to the regional level—and provides case studies from Zambia, Kenya, and Uganda to demonstrate the efficacy of integrated resource management, such as solar-powered irrigation, in enhancing climate resilience.

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 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 argues that Africa's fisheries and aquaculture sectors are underperforming despite vast resources, contributing only 6% of global fish production and resulting in a US$6 billion annual import reliance. It highlights systemic challenges including post-harvest losses of up to 30%, gender disparities in resource access, and environmental degradation such as oil pollution in Nigeria's Niger Delta. The briefing proposes a combination of agroecological practices, climate-smart technologies (such as biofloc and RAS), and regional trade integration via the AfCFTA to enhance food security and economic growth. It specifically emphasizes the need for cold-chain infrastructure, the integration of indigenous knowledge, and the empowerment of women and youth to ensure an equitable transition.

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 the critical role of livestock in Africa's food security and GDP, contrasting low-input agroecological systems with industrial models. It argues that industrial livestock production is unsuitable for the African context due to its negative environmental and social impacts. The brief identifies key hurdles, such as chronic underfunding and policy marginalisation, and proposes specific funding levers for philanthropic investment in disease prevention, rangeland management, and adaptive local breeds to build climate resilience.

The document advocates for a transition from industrialised agriculture to African Indigenous Foodways (AIFs), which are rooted in traditional ecological knowledge and agroecological principles. It emphasises that knowledge co-creation between farmers and researchers is essential to overcome gaps in documentation and the 'epistemicide' of indigenous knowledge systems. The brief highlights the role of networks like the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) and the Seed and Knowledge Initiative (SKI) in promoting seed sovereignty. It identifies significant funding gaps, noting that philanthropic support for agroecological transition is less than 1% of total philanthropic food and agriculture funding. The authors recommend that philanthropy shift toward community-led investment models, long-term trust-based funding, and support for participatory research to enhance climate resilience and biodiversity conservation.

The document argues that Africa's rapid urban growth necessitates immediate investment in food environments to prevent unhealthy path dependencies. It identifies a funding gap of US$100 million over the next five years across four key initiatives: AfriFOODlinks, the Africa Food Environment Research Network (FERN), the Living Off-Grid Food & Infrastructure Collaboration (LOGIC), and the Resilient Municipal Market Fund (ReMark). The brief emphasizes that urban food environments are shaped by physical, economic, social, and infrastructural factors, and suggests aligning these with agroecological principles to improve resilience, equity, and resource efficiency.

The brief argues that agrochemical use and misuse are increasing across Africa due to corporate profit motives, weak regulation, and climate change, posing severe risks to human health and the environment. It recommends strengthening governance, increasing investment in agroecology, and leveraging financial tools to reduce synthetic chemical dependence.

The document highlights the potential for small-scale African farmers to meet a growing demand for processed foods—projected to be 75% of staple food demand—by adding value to indigenous crops. However, processors face significant hurdles, including limited access to modern storage (such as cold rooms), poor packaging that reduces consumer trust, and difficulties in meeting food safety certifications. The brief emphasizes the role of traditional methods like fermentation and drying in enhancing nutrition and shelf-life, while warning that unchecked processing waste can cause environmental pollution. It recommends that philanthropies fund capacity building, research into sustainable packaging, and the development of regional labelling standards to boost the marketability of local processed foods.

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 document advocates for Silvopastoral Systems (SPS)—the integration of trees, forage, and livestock—to restore degraded African rangelands and mitigate resource-driven conflicts. It highlights successful models like Herding for Health and Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), while urging philanthropic investment to overcome barriers such as insecure land tenure, knowledge gaps, and government subsidies for chemical-intensive farming.