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Political economy challenges for climate smart agriculture in Africa

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  • Helena Shilomboleni

    (International Livestock Research Institute)

Abstract

Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) has gained prominence in global agriculture and climate agendas for its perceived “triple win” contributions to food productivity, adaptation, and mitigation to climate change. This paper highlights three important challenges for CSA activities in Africa which provide insights into contested debates surrounding CSA’s ability to respond holistically to the complex realities facing resource-constrained farmers in the global South. These are (1) prevailing neoliberal market policies that emphasize private-sector driven agricultural development in the face of rising input costs and falling commodity prices; (2) an expansion in diversified livelihood strategies amongst smallholder households as a response to the highly unpredictable biophysical environment and economic climate under which they live; and (3) a growing competition for land and other productive resources. A deeper dive into political economy processes surrounding these three issues aims to bring critical attention to factors relevant to African agricultural development that highly impact farm-level practices and carry important implications for rural livelihood outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Helena Shilomboleni, 2020. "Political economy challenges for climate smart agriculture in Africa," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 37(4), pages 1195-1206, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:37:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s10460-020-10126-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10460-020-10126-5
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    3. Tubagus Muhammad Ali Ridho Azhari & Beatrice Chepkoech, 2022. "Factors Affecting the Performance of Climate-Smart Agriculture Project from the Perspectives of Agriculture Extension Workers: A Case Study of Nakuru County, Kenya," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 6(12), pages 405-415, December.
    4. Mohamed Rafik Noor Mohamed Qureshi & Ali Saeed Almuflih & Janpriy Sharma & Mohit Tyagi & Shubhendu Singh & Naif Almakayeel, 2022. "Assessment of the Climate-Smart Agriculture Interventions towards the Avenues of Sustainable Production–Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-24, July.
    5. Barnes, A.P. & McMillan, J. & Sutherland, L.-A. & Hopkins, J. & Thomson, S.G., 2022. "Farmer intentional pathways for net zero carbon: Exploring the lock-in effects of forestry and renewables," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).

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