Scaling climate-smart agricultural interventions in agricultural production and ecosystem in East Africa: Assessing potential trade-offs, synergies, and limitations

Summary

My research looked at how to scale up Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) in East Africa to help farmers cope with climate change. Through case studies, I examined the real-world barriers and opportunities for expanding CSA practices, such as lack of local adaptation, limited use of climate data, and policy gaps. I then used crop models and 30 years of weather data to study how climate change is affecting potato yields and to project future impacts. The simulations revealed that rising temperatures could sharply reduce yields, especially in lower-elevation areas. However, strategies like changing planting dates and using irrigation can help reduce these losses, though not everywhere. Together, the findings provide farmers, advisors, and policymakers with clear, evidence-based guidance to scale CSA effectively, helping protect harvests, shape climate-resilient policies, and strengthen food systems across the region.