A new chapter for partnerships delivering CGIAR innovation in Africa

"As we gather here, let us remember the significance of our collective efforts in shaping a climate-smart future for Africa," said Robert Zougmore, AICCRA West Africa Lead at a planning session with our regional partners for the additional finance phase of AICCRA set to kick-off in May.

"With this workshop, we embark on a new step, where actions will ensure the effective use by regional and national beneficiaries, of climate-smart approaches, tools, and innovations for a direct impact on the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers across the continent."

Also this month:

• The World Bank approves the first tranche of additional financing to AICCRA
• We mark International Women's Day and World Meteorological Day with special feature compilations
• Women lead the way in fish and rice farming in new stories from Mali and Zambia

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A significant step towards advancing climate-smart agriculture technologies

At COP28 in December 2023, The World Bank announced?the intention to commit?USD 100 million to continue the work of AICCRA in the years ahead.

In March, the Board of Directors approved $40 million in IDA grants to AICCRA, reflecting the first tranche?of?finance against that commitment?(2024-2026) with preparation for a second tranche (to cover period 2026-2029) expected to begin soon.

50,000+ women reached with gender-sensitive technologies in Mali

In Mali, AfricaRice is disseminating gender sensitive technologies through AICCRA, using business models such as the Center for Mechanized Agriculture, Pay-As-You-Go and Saving Clubs to enhance women's access to finances and accelerate the adoption of climate-smart agriculture and climate information services.

From 2021 to 2023, more than 50,000 women farmers have seen their yield, income and food consumption status increased.?The large-scale adoption of such technologies could help female farmers to be fully engaged in rice production. ?

Scaling the adoption of ‘climate-smart’ aquaculture in Zambia

A new cohort of women in Zambia are now embarking on aquaculture after receiving capacity development and training through an ‘Aquaculture Accelerator’ led by WorldFish and being scaled through AICCRA - boosting productivity by 70 percent and providing women with a more powerful role in production.?

Maintaining momentum and harnessing the power of Zambia's private sector, more than 45,000 farmers have been reached over the last three years, with women making up 36 percent of the total number.

What to watch this month:

A timely conversation with Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet), CSIR-Crops Research Institute and The Ghanaian Farmer: Ahead of World Meteorological Day, AICCRA Ghana, GMet and Enyonam Manye, known as 'The Ghanaian Farmer',?hosted a?webinar?to present the 2024 Seasonal Forecast for Ghana’s Southern Sector to reach farmers on time for effective planning ahead of the upcoming season. ?

From AICCRA Zambia for Youth Day - i2G connects youth and the private sector: To date, AICCRA's Internship and Innovation Grant?(i2G) program has seen 41 young innovators, entrepreneurs, professionals and graduate students from across Zambia receiving hands-on experience in the challenges and solutions in the country’s agricultural sector.?

Opportunity with ICPAC: Regional WRF-Hydro Training

In collaboration with several European institutions, ICPAC and AICCRA are offering regional WRF-Hydro training as part of the Confer EU project's capacity-building efforts in East Africa.

Deadline: 30th April 2024 | Find out more and apply.

Special features:

Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress - For International Women's Day, we compiled some recent highlights of the work and research AICCRA & partners are doing to support women in Africa's agricultural ecosystem - scaling access to resources, finances and skills to build resilience.

At the frontlines of Africa's climate action - For World Meteorological Day, we shone a spotlight on the strong multi-sector partnerships and collaborations in AICCRA focus countries and regions that are enhancing and expanding access to climate information services for all, as well as building the capacity needed so that smallholder farmers can make the best use of such information.?

“The Zambia Meteorological Department understands the importance of converting scientific insights into practical information and services, a crucial step in aiding our farmers amidst climate change. AICCRA is pivotal in this process, integrating our climate data, tools, and predictions into educational resources for agricultural extension.”- Edson Nkonde, Director, Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)

What we’ve been reading:

1. Decision support tools for agricultural adaptation in Africa?

A new article outlines lessons that investors and policy makers in agriculture can learn from Decision Support Tools (DSTs) in other sectors. This piece focuses on tools for the agricultural adaptation community, but the takeaways are applicable for a broad range of DSTs in agriculture - primarily highlighting the need for tailored, accessible, and scaleable tools and solutions.

Explore key takeaways or read the piece here. (Open access link here)

Authors: Todd Rosenstock, Namita Joshi, Alcade C. Segnon, Laura Cramer, Dr. Caroline Mwongera, Andreea Nowak, Lucy Njuguna, Elliot Dossou-Yovo, Peter Steward and Julian Ramirez-Villegas

2. From gender gaps to gender-transformative climate-smart agriculture?

In a new review, Sophia Huyer, Ana Maria Loboguerrero, Nitya Chanana and Olga Spellman explore a synthesis of research on gender transformation that proposes concepts for moving gender and climate research forward.

Explore key takeaways or read the paper here.

Read these stories and more on our news page or follow us on social media (@CGIARAfrica) for ongoing updates.

Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) is a project that helps deliver a climate-smart African future driven by science and innovation in agriculture. It is led by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and supported by a grant from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank.