Crop Diversification as a Pathway to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals 1 (No Poverty) and 2 (Zero Hunger) Among Smallholder Farms of Sub‐Saharan Africa: A Structured Narrative Review

Crop diversification is increasingly recognized as an ecologically viable and agronomically sound strategy to enhance income stability, nutritional outcomes, and livelihoods among resource‐constrained smallholder farmers. While its potential to advance Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) is widely acknowledged, the specific pathways through which crop diversification contributes to poverty alleviation and food security remain underexplored. This structured narrative review synthesizes current evidence on how crop diversification influences key dimensions of smallholders' well‐being, including income generation, food and nutritional security, and climate resilience. Findings reveal that diversified cropping systems enhance productivity, stabilize incomes, and improve dietary diversity, while buffering households against climate shocks and market volatility. However, adoption remains limited due to systemic challenges such as small landholdings, agronomic constraints, weak market linkages, and inadequate policy and infrastructural support. To unlock the full potential of crop diversification, the review highlights the need for context‐specific interventions ranging from supportive policies and investment in rural infrastructure to targeted capacity building. Strengthening these enablers can empower smallholder farmers, foster resilient livelihoods, and accelerate progress toward ending poverty and hunger in sub‐Saharan Africa.