Gendered Gaps in the Adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture in Africa and How to Overcome Them

Abstract

In Africa, the agricultural sector contributes approximately 10–20% of the total anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It presents rapid growth as a result of rising food demand in Africa, which is being driven by population growth. Consequently, climate change can negatively affect crop yields and livestock production, thus threatening food security. This review highlights the existing gender gaps in African agriculture and discusses the drivers and barriers that maintain gender gaps in climate-smart agriculture (CSA) adoption in African countries. Moreover, the review offers a comprehensive roadmap for the essential measures required to facilitate the widespread uptake of CSA practices among female farmers. Several CSA practices were reported, such as agricultural practices, forest and cropland regeneration practices, water resources, and the use of weather and climate information services. The gender gap in the adoption of CSA practices was influenced by policy legislation, financial resources, social and cultural taboos, and technical determinants such as climate information access. To address this gender gap, scientific-outcome-based research should be used to address gender gaps among female small farmers. In conclusion, to overcome the gender gap in CSA adoption in Africa, this review recommends the use of a gender-responsive approach, the development of scientific research-driven measures, and the prioritization of gender equality in governments’ agendas in the context of climate change uncertainty.