Leveraging climate information services to help farmers cope with climate change in Africa

We celebrate World Development Information Day by highlighting CCAFS’ work on climate information services in Africa.

Information and communications technologies have the potential to provide new solutions to development challenges, particularly in the context of globalization, and can foster economic growth, competitiveness, access to information and knowledge, poverty eradication and social inclusion.”

UN General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/65/141)

Efforts to design services that meet the needs of farmers and the institutions that support them can build on a rich body of knowledge and experience. Yet critical gaps in knowledge, information, methodology, and evidence must be addressed if these services are to contribute to scaling up climate-smart agriculture.

In this blog, we highlight how CCAFS research and engagement work around climate information services in Africa helps smallholder farmers to cope with climate change.

Pathways for gender-sensitive communication channels in climate services

Access to climate information is integral to effective agricultural decision-making. Yet gender-based differences in schooling received and in access to communication channels (i.e. group processes, media and ICTs) exist. This results in women and men experiencing differing access to critical weather and climate information, often to women’s disadvantage. Recommendations to address these issues focus on identifying context- and gender-specific needs and fostering local connections to establish enhanced communication channels. While differences in capacities to act on weather and climate information require critical consideration as well, addressing gender-based challenges to accessing communication channels can be a key step to achieving gender-responsive climate services.

Read the full blog post by Lili Szilagyi,Communications Consultant for CCAFS East Africa.

Photo: Farmers use climate information to help them increase food security, and improve productivity and resilience to climate change. Photo (from left to right): V. Meadu (CCAFS), C. Schubert (CCAFS), F. Fiondella (CCAFS/IRI)