By Anna Lexxy Mbucho
African smallholder farmers are not helpless victims of climate change; rather, they are pioneers and leaders in the development of climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture. The continent’s adaptation to climate shocks can be accelerated by providing financial, educational, and policy support for their initiatives. Despite being on the front lines of the effects of climate change, many smallholder farmers in Africa are emerging as important contributors to the development of climate resilience through creative, locally driven solutions.
Climate-smart agriculture is the use of farming practices that, when feasible, lower greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate change, and sustainably boost productivity. These consist of methods such as crop rotation, intercropping, using drought-resistant cultivars, and integrated soil fertility management.
Farmers have long faced erratic rainfall and declining soil fertility in Machakos County, Kenya. By embracing climate-smart techniques, such as minimum tillage (to reduce soil disturbance), mulching (to retain soil moisture), and agroecological zoning (matching crops to microclimates), yields have improved even during dry spells. The Africa Climate-Smart Agriculture Alliance supports this by training farmers and providing access to improved seeds and sustainable farming tools.
By planting trees next to crops and cattle, agroforestry helps replenish soil fertility, prevents erosion, and offers alternate revenue streams (timber, fuel, and fruit). It is a potent instrument for mitigating climate change because it also aids in carbon collection. Through Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration, local farmers in Maradi and Zinder, Niger, started caring for and preserving tree roots and stumps rather than razing them.
This led to a 25% rise in household income from forest products, a 25% increase in crop yields (up to 30% in some regions), the reforestation of 5 million hectares of land, and improvements in soil quality and water retention over decades. Other Sahelian nations have adopted this grassroots effort, which farmers themselves initiated.
In arid and semi-arid areas, where rainfall is scarce or unpredictable, farmers are using simple, low-cost methods to capture and store water, such as zai pits (small holes filled with compost and seeds), stone bunds (to slow water runoff), and small reservoirs or rooftop water catchments. In Burkina Faso, for instance, led by farmers like Yacouba Sawadogo, nicknamed “the man who stopped the desert,” communities revived traditional Zai techniques.
Pits dug before the rainy season catch water and organic material. While stone bunds direct runoff into pits. As a result, once-degraded land has become fertile again, supporting crops like millet and sorghum. Some areas now yield up to five times more than before these methods were adopted.
Climate change threatens crop diversity and availability. Community seed banks help preserve and distribute local varieties that are drought-tolerant, pest-resistant, and suited to local soils and climate. Tigray and Oromia regions in Ethiopia, smallholder farmers have revived indigenous crops such as teff, enset, and sorghum, supported by community-managed seed banks.
These banks offer a wide range of traditional seed varieties, promote biodiversity, serve as insurance against crop failure, and empower communities to decide what seeds to plant, rather than relying on commercial suppliers. Additionally, elders share indigenous knowledge of planting calendars, natural pest control, and soil conservation techniques, which are vital in areas with limited access to formal extension services.
Access to real-time information through mobile phones allows smallholder farmers to anticipate weather changes, market prices, and farming tips, which is critical in the face of unpredictable climate patterns. In Uganda, the farmers use the EzyAgric app, developed for Ugandan farmers, which offers daily and seasonal weather forecasts, pest outbreak alerts, farm mapping, and digital recordkeeping and access to certified agri-inputs. By receiving early warnings about droughts or heavy rains, farmers can delay or advance planting, protect crops before storms, and reduce post-harvest losses. It’s especially helpful for youth and women farmers, enhancing inclusion and decision-making power.
Women make up nearly half of the agricultural labor force in Africa. They often lead initiatives in crop diversification, water conservation, and cooperative farming, though they face barriers to land ownership and credit. Casamance Region, Senegal. Faced with salinization of rice fields due to rising sea levels, women’s rice cooperatives introduced salt-tolerant rice varieties, raised-bed farming and community-managed dykes and irrigation systems.
Backed by organizations like ENDA Pronat, these groups improved rice productivity and nutrition while also replanting mangroves to combat salinization and restore ecosystems. These women are not only adapting but also training others, amplifying their impact.
Across Africa, smallholder farmers are transforming vulnerability into strength through local innovation, indigenous wisdom, and smart adaptation. With the right support, policies, funding, and education, they can scale up their efforts and drive continent-wide resilience to climate change.