The first continent-wide assessment of African agricultural adaptation has been presented at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, laying out a roadmap for the continent's farming systems through 2036. The document, titled The State of African Agricultural Adaptation, 2016–2026: Assessment and Roadmap to 2036, was unveiled at a high-level event marking the 10th anniversary of the Initiative for the Adaptation of African Agriculture (AAA Initiative), which was launched at COP22 in Marrakech in 2016.
The assessment, prepared by the AAA Initiative Foundation in partnership with FAO, finds that 46 of the 53 African countries covered have estimated their climate adaptation needs at a combined $566 billion over the periods covered by their national plans, or around $56 billion a year on average. At least $80 billion of that total relates specifically to agriculture — presented in the report as a minimum figure, since 22 countries currently cost agricultural adaptation within broader national totals rather than as a standalone estimate.
The report identifies a central challenge: connecting the adaptation plans that African governments have already submitted to the United Nations with the policies and finance needed to make them function as one system. It calls for stronger support to help countries prepare investment-ready projects, and proposes that continental support be delivered through institutions that already exist, with no new institution or fund created.
FAO Deputy Director-General Godfrey Magwenzi, speaking on behalf of Director-General QU Dongyu, said the next decade "must be a decade of delivery," requiring coordinated action driven by national ownership and better alignment between climate, agriculture, water and development policies. He also stressed the need for financing that is accessible, predictable and responsive.
Ghita El Ghorfi, Director General of the AAA Initiative Foundation, said: "Ten years ago, at Marrakech, we asked that African agriculture be heard. It is now heard. Today we come with an assessment that can be verified and a roadmap that can be measured."
The event also addressed continuity across successive UN climate conferences. The AAA Initiative was launched under Morocco's COP22 presidency; Türkiye is preparing to host COP31 and launch the Turquoise Nexus Initiative, while Ethiopia has been designated to host COP32. The anniversary event formed part of FAO's Climate Policy and Finance Week.
This article is based on a verified primary source. The text was editorially reviewed and fact-checked prior to publication.
