Prioritizing Agronomy Solutions in Changing Environments (PAiCE) for Sub-Saharan Africa Smallholder Farmers

By Wuletawu Abera and Brendan Brown et.al

The looming threat of climate change is not a distant concern but a pressing issue that significantly jeopardizes smallholder farming in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, we can enhance resilience and productivity through targeted adaptation strategies. In collaboration with key stakeholders, the CGIAR’s Excellence in Agronomy (EiA) Initiative is at the forefront of identifying and prioritizing these strategies using the PAiCE tool. Recent PAiCE workshops across 13 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have facilitated valuable knowledge sharing and collaboration, with outcomes set to inform sustainable agricultural development in the region.

Addressing Production Constraints and Climate Change

Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa is grappling with increasing challenges from production constraints and climate change. These challenges include poor-performing crop varieties, erratic rainfall, lack of storage facilities, soil compaction due to tractor operations, pest infestations, high chemical costs, low soil fertility, Striga infestation, crop disease outbreaks, and crop residue loss due to wildfires. The rapid changes in climate conditions highlight the urgent need to enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers.

Adopting effective adaptation strategies is necessary and a beacon of hope for optimizing crop yields, improving soil health, and mitigating the impacts of climate changes and variability. These strategies also encourage farmers to diversify their crops and reduce the risks associated with climate-induced failures. The CGIAR EiA Initiative, through its innovative tools and stakeholder engagements, is addressing challenges and empowering smallholders to improve their livelihoods and food security amidst these growing environmental challenges.

Introducing the PAiCE Framework

The PAiCE (Prioritizing Agronomy in Changing Environments) framework is not just a tool but a collaborative platform designed to bridge the gap between understanding agricultural constraints and implementing effective adaptation strategies. Developed by CGIAR’s EiA Initiative in collaboration with CSIRO, PAiCE combines expert insights with robust data to prioritize solutions tailored to specific local contexts.

Engaging Experts Across Multiple Farming Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa

In recent months, the PAiCE framework has been deployed in 13  workshops across diverse farming systems in sub–Saharan Africa, engaging with 147 experts who are knowledgeable about these respective systems. The workshops were held in regions across West Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal), Central Africa (Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda), Southern Africa (Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia) and Eastern Africa (Ethiopia). Each session provided a collaborative platform for local experts and stakeholders to identify and prioritize key agricultural challenges. In Ghana, the focus was on cereal-legume systems. Nigeria’s discussions centered on various cropping systems through the AKILIMO platform.

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Senegal concentrated on rainfed rice systems, while the workshops in Rwanda, Burundi, and the DRC explored mixed farming systems. In Eastern and Southern Africa, the focus was on the Maize mixed systems in the Chinyanja Triangle and the mixed Highlands production systems in Eastern Africa. By involving a broad spectrum of stakeholders—from agronomists and climate scientists to local farmers and policymakers—PAiCE ensures that the solutions developed are both scientifically sound and deeply rooted in local realities.

Developing (Ecological and Institutional) Typology-Specific Adaptation Interventions and Prioritization Strategies

The PAiCE framework, a comprehensive and robust initiative designed for areas with similar farming systems, agroecology, and institutional and political boundaries, is a testament to our thorough approach. These commonalities lead to shared risks, challenges, and institutional mechanisms for adaptation. Therefore, the 13 PAiCE workshops across Africa were selected based on this philosophy: typical constraints, climate risks, and proposed strategies can be practical within these domains. This is crucial to ensure that risks, constraints, and adaptation strategies are targeted at specific spatial and stakeholder platform levels rather than offering general and broad recommendations.