article · Climate Services
Climate change presents a major barrier to agricultural productivity across developing nations, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where rain-fed, smallholder farming predominates. Although climate services can support agricultural productivity, their mainstreaming into broader sectorial development strategies remains underemphasised. Integrating these services into institutional planning strengthens the adaptive capacities of organisations and creates a more resilient agricultural foundation. Evidence gathered from Ghana shows that mainstreaming climate services offers reliable pathways toward agricultural resilience, provided these services are co-produced to meet the practical needs of all end users. However, significant institutional hurdles persist that hinder effective delivery. Addressing these barriers requires urgent intervention, notably through the formal adoption and implementation of a National Framework for Climate Services to coordinate institutional efforts and support farming communities.
Smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa depend heavily on rain-fed agriculture, making them acutely vulnerable to changing weather patterns. Mainstreaming climate services helps farming communities and institutions prepare for climate risks. Establishing clear national frameworks and collaborative climate tools ensures that critical weather and climate information reaches smallholders, ultimately safeguarding food security, rural livelihoods, and broader economic stability.
The findings point toward applications in co-produced climate information services and advisory tools designed for smallholder farmers and agricultural support bodies. However, the abstract indicates that the work is currently at an institutional and policy development stage. Achieving practical deployment and uptake will depend on resolving institutional hurdles and establishing a National Framework for Climate Services rather than immediate commercial roll-out.
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Climate change has been a great drawback for developing countries regarding agricultural productivity. In discussing the possible spheres of adapting agriculture to climate change, climate service mainstreaming is given less attention despite its role in agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where smallholder farming is dominant and rain-fed. Attempts at mainstreaming climate services through sectorial development strategies in order to improve adaptive capacities of stakeholder institutions are often given less attention. This paper argues that mainstreaming climate services should be at the forefront in ensuring a resilient agricultural base in SSA and that the co- production of these services is ideal for all users. Drawing on empirical evidence from Ghana, the paper concludes that though the mainstreaming of climate services provides possible reliable options for developing a resilient agricultural sector, there are institutional challenges that require immediate redress especially the adoption of a National Framework for Climate Services.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.cliser.2019.01.007
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