Background

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has been promoted by many countries and international organizations as a way to guard the agriculture sector against the changing climate and help ensure food security.

But what are the measurable benefits for households who adopt CSA practices?

This webinar presented results from the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), a 10-year research for development initiative that tested and promoted CSA practices and technologies in more than 20 sites globally.

The webinar featured results from one of the most comprehensive analyses of CSA implementation to date.

Using data from standardized surveys conducted at the beginning of activities and again toward the end of the program, Dr. Meredith Niles and Dr. Kristal Jones presented findings on how the households changed over time both within each site and across the sites.

Participants learned about the changes households experienced in income levels and food security, along with changes made in cropping and livestock practices, water use, and soils and land management. Changes in use of inputs, including weather forecasts and agricultural credit, were also presented.

Dr. John Recha and Dr. Mathieu Ouedraogo, scientists who led much of CCAFS' research in East and West Africa respectively provided reflections on the results and insights on the future of CSA research and implementation.