AICCRA Reports

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/113198

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One-on-one meeting with the winners of the Zambia accelerator program: report
(Report, 2025-03) Annaiah, A
The AICCRA (Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa) project promotes climate-smart agriculture in Africa by leveraging cutting-edge research from CGIAR, the world’s largest publicly funded research network for food security. The initiative enhances access to climate information services (CIS) and climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies to build a resilient agrifood sector. On June 21, 2024, AICCRA Zambia launched the second cohort of its Agribusiness Accelerator Program in Lusaka, Zambia, aimed at supporting SMEs in the agribusiness sector. Following an extensive screening process, three agribusinesses were chosen as winners on January 27, 2025. To further assist these accelerator winners, the CGIAR ILRI Digital Innovation (DI) initiative conducted virtual one-on-one meetings on February 5th & 6th, 2025, offering digital services and innovations tailored to their businesses. By integrating digital solutions, these agribusiness SMEs can scale their impact, enhance profitability, and strengthen their role in food security and climate resilience.
From Baku to Belem: Key insights and next steps for climate and agriculture
(Report, 2025-03-31) Chevallier, Romy; Gosling, Amanda
This report presents the key insights and outcomes from the workshop From Baku to Belém: Key Insights and Next Steps for Climate and Agriculture, held on 5 March 2025. Co-hosted by the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) and Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA), the workshop was convened in response to significant developments from the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held in Baku, Azerbaijan, at the end of 2024. The event brought together farmers, experts, and civil society actors to unpack the implications of COP29 for African agriculture, climate ambition, and finance. In addition to analysing COP29, participants also reviewed key outcomes relevant to farmers from the other two Rio Conventions - the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP16 in Cali, Colombia, and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The workshop created space for reflection on the current status of agriculture in climate negotiations and key challenges and opportunities related to climate finance and broader policy engagement. Drawing on diverse perspectives, the workshop helped the EAFF and its member organisations refine their strategic positioning ahead of the second African Climate Summit (September 2025) and COP30 (November 2025). The report concludes with a summary of recommended actions, including forging and maintaining partnerships, influencing policy through strategic inputs, improving access to climate finance, increasing engagement in climate-related events, and strengthening data sharing and advocacy to support climate-resilient agriculture.
Training of Trainers on Enhancing Forecasting Capacities and Crop Capability Prediction Model/Tool, Ezulwini, Eswatini
(Report, 2025-05) Garanganga, Bradwell; Nyakutambwa, Trymore; Magagula, Futhi; Amha, Yosef; Ambaw, Geberemedihin; Recha, John W.M.
The negative impact of hydro-meteorological hazards on the agricultural sector oftentimes leads to food insecurity, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is, therefore, incumbent upon policymakers to formulate appropriate strategies to minimize the effects of hydro-meteorological hazards on communities and economies. Increased availability of timely and tailored climate-related Knowledge, information, and products supports decision-makers in reducing climate-related losses and enhancing benefits. In this regard, regional partners (AICCRA, ACPC, UNECA, WMO, CCARDESA) commissioned Digitron to conduct a series of Training of Trainers workshops and to refine a Crop Capability Prediction Tool to maximize agricultural productivity while limiting the consequences of hydro-meteorological risks on the food system. This tool can assist policymakers and user communities in deciding on the most up-to-date crop capability based on seasonal climate forecast (SCF). However, roving training of trainers (ToT) workshops are required for agricultural yield prediction users, SCF providers, researchers, and academics in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region to operationalize and bring maximum impact. In this regard, the first of such ToT workshops was held in Harare, Zimbabwe, in July 2022. The second was held in Maputo, Mozambique. The third ToT workshop was held in Livingstone, Zambia, from 19 to 22 September 2023, and in Lilongwe, Malawi, from 9 to 13 December 2024. The current national workshop was held in Ezulwini, Eswatini, from 12 to 16 May 2025 and attended by 21 technical experts (14 men and 7 women) from the University of Eswatini, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Eswatini Meteorological Services (EMS), and other relevant departments. This ToT workshop covered a wide range of topics, including providing a conceptual framework for the Climate Agriculture Modelling and Decision Tool (CAMDT) - Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) platform; the importance of SCF; a ‘Hands-on’ Exercise in data management (quality control and missing values, as well as a specific template/format); data acquisition; model descriptions (assumptions and uncertainties); and model analysis (simulation and validation). Participants' feedback indicated that running the model and interpreting its outputs were easy and acknowledged the feasibility of the tool for future applications. However, despite the availability of a user manual, participants preferred a more straightforward programme-assisted method so that individuals with less computer knowledge could run the model for immediate use and application. They also thought the training was extremely relevant and valuable to the user communities. From the hands-on exercise, participants emphasized that the proper use of the SFC-driven crop capability prediction model and its timely deployment will result in large savings, considering agriculture's vital role in the SADC area. Participants also recommended improving the model by including local circumstances and cultivars for its comprehensive applicability in Eswatini and beyond. Digitron showed some improvements in the Tool to improve usability by enabling users to input crop coefficients and soil profiles. Furthermore, stakeholders demonstrated the joint post-processing of tool outputs through a formalized framework for simple interpretation. However, there was need for resources to finalize these joint products for customization and, therefore, greater usability. Eswatini requested support from Digitron to customize the Tool with the requisite capacity building for greater usability. The participants recommended that, for this capacity-building programme to be successful and have a lasting impact, the pertinent national and regional organizations, projects, and governments in the area must be fully supported. More resources are also required to guarantee that developers continue to engage in model improvement and skill transfer within SADC and beyond.
AICCRA 2025 Bundle 3 Technical Progress Report
(Report, 2025-06) Chikoye, D.; Omondi, John O.; Consent, Sibeso
This report outlines the progress made by AICCRA’s seed bundle initiative in 2025. The seed bundle promotes climate-smart agricultural technologies, particularly drought-tolerant seed varieties. In 2025, the initiative undertook several key activities, including the distribution of essential agricultural inputs—such as seeds, fertilizers, and agrochemicals—followed by coordinated planting by youth farmers. Additionally, random spot checks and field monitoring visits were conducted on soybean plots established by youth and the Accelerator Partner, FeedNat, to assess crop performance and provide technical guidance (e.g., timely weeding and rouging of off-types). The team also organized and executed soybean seed inspection exercises in collaboration with the Seed Control and Certification Institute (SCCI) across all youth-managed fields.
Characterizing soils of Eastern Zambia
(Report, 2025-06) Omondi, John O; Mwila, Mulundu; Banda, Andson; Kyei-Boahen, Stephen; Chikoye, D.
Soil health and fertility play a critical role in determining crop productivity and sustainability in agricultural systems. In Zambia, declining soil fertility due to continuous cropping, minimal organic matter inputs, and nutrient imbalances threaten agricultural productivity. This study assessed the soil properties across four districts—Katete, Nyimba, Petauke, and Sinda—in Eastern Zambia to evaluate their fertility status and potential implications for crop production. The results indicated that the general soil pH across all districts was slightly acidic. However, some camps in Katete (18.3%), Nyimba (37.5%), and Sinda (26.3%) had neutral pH, whereas none in Petauke exhibited neutral conditions. Soil electrical conductivity (EC) was relatively high across the districts, with Nyimba having the highest levels. Sodium (Na) content was high in all districts, posing potential risks of soil degradation. Organic carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were generally low in Sinda, Katete, and Petauke, while Nyimba showed moderate levels. Notably, 12.5% and 26.3% of camps in Katete and Sinda, respectively, had very low organic carbon, while substantial proportions of camps in Katete (43.8%), Petauke (52.9%), and Sinda (42.1%) exhibited very low nitrogen levels. Phosphorus (P) levels were mostly moderate to high, except in Nyimba, where they were relatively low. Potassium (K) was generally moderate across districts, except in Nyimba, where it was high. Calcium (Ca) was low in Katete, Petauke, and Sinda, whereas magnesium (Mg) was high in those districts but significantly elevated in Nyimba. Soil texture varied, with most soils classified as sandy loam, except in Nyimba, where sandy clay loam and clay soils predominated. These findings underscore the need for targeted and site-specific soil fertility management practices, such as liming, organic matter additions, and balanced fertilization, to enhance soil health and crop yields in Eastern Zambia.
Ethiopia Scaling Week
(Report, 2025-04) Ewell, Hanna; Byandaga, Livingstone; Seyoum, Yodit Y; Makonnen, Brook T; Ambaw, Gebermedihin; Solomon, Dawit
The AICCRA Ethiopia Scaling Week workshop, held at the Liesak Resort in Bishoftu, Ethiopia, 2- 4th April 2025, focused on advancing the responsible and inclusive scaling of Climate Information Services (CIS) and Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) solutions to enhance resilience among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. It brought together 30 people (4 of whom were women) from various organizations, including the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ethiopian Institute for Agricultural Research, LERSHA, ILRI and ICARDA. The objective of the workshop was to engage in capacity sharing on the theory and practice of scaling, as well as to support the Ethiopia cluster in understanding and operationalizing the scaling framework of the AICCRA project by assessing CIS and CSA bundles and developing corresponding preliminary scaling pathways. Regarding methodological approaches, presentations were used to explain principles, with small groups' work and plenary discussions in a participative atmosphere. Based on the concepts and principles shared, participants reflected on their visions, the barriers they face, and accelerators or enabling factors to overcome them, and established roadmaps for four climate solutions: a community-based breeding program for small ruminants, a digital platform for feed and forage, site-specific fertilizer recommendations, and climate-informed agro-advisories.
Boosting Climate-Smart Potato Farming: Training of Trainers in Improved Practices for Smallholder Farmers with Disabilities in Rwanda
(Report, 2025-03) Barungi, Julian; Okonya, Joshua; Ilakut, Ben; Recha, John W.M.
Over the years, Rwanda through its Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board has released several potato varieties with 10 new potato varieties released in 2023. Despite their good agronomic attributes that include high tuber yields, short maturity periods, tolerance to pest damage, resistance to common diseases such as late blight and potato viruses, very few smallholder youth and women farmers have adopted them. This is partly due to the high cost associated with purchase of quality declared or certified seed potato. Additionally, farmers especially youth and women have previously reported the limited technical knowledge in GAPs for production of certified and quality declared seed as one of the factors responsible for their low adoption of improved potato varieties and low yields. To address the challenge of low adoption rates and low yields, the training enhanced capacities of 75 participants (45 females, 30 males) in good agronomic practices in potato production and enhanced their access to improved potato varieties. The participants comprised women and youth farmer leaders, agro-input dealers, extension workers and seed potato store owners from Dukomeze Ubuzima Cooperative in Shingiro Musanze district of Rwanda. Through the support of the AICCRA project, ASARECA was able to hand over 2.5 tons of certified potato seed, 11 spray pumps, 200kgs of fertilizer, and assorted pesticides to 300 farmers belonging to the Dukomeze Ubuzima Cooperative, in Shingiro, Musanze, Rwanda as a starter pack for scaling the adoption of improved potato varieties.
Co-Designing Climate- Smart Legume Production Guides in the Southern Africa Region: Consultative Workshops in Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia
(Report, 2025-05) Recha, John W.M.; Magagula, Futhi; Gitau, Angela; Johnston, Angharad; Varley, Ciara; Mashizha, Tinashe; Ndlovu, Noel; Murray, Una; McKeown, Peter; Baijukya, Frederick P.; Demissie, Teferi; Chikoye, David; Spillane, Charles
The Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA), in collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) through the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project and the University of Galway-led Legumes for Development (LEG4DEV) project, initiated the development of Climate Smart Legume Production Guides for Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia. The blog post, Partnership between CCARDESA, CGIAR centres and national agricultural research institutes in Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia initiates development of climate-smart legume production guides, outlines the context to these workshops and manuals.
Enhancing digital literacy of potato farmers in the utilization of the Viazi Soko and agriBORA platforms for market linkages in Kenya
(Report, 2025-03) Barungi, Julian; Ssebwana, Achilley K; Okonya, Joshua; Recha, John W.M.
Decision support tools, especially those that provide relevant data in a quick and user-friendly manner, are critical in helping farmers make better decisions in their day-to-day operations. This digital literacy training focused on utilization of the Viazi Soko and agriBORA digital platforms to facilitate access to farm output and input markets through aggregation, collective ordering, and contract farming targeting the potato processing industry. A field day was also organized for farmers to visit a potato demonstration farm in Mauche, Njoro subcounty, Nakuru County to learn about the good agronomic practices of potatoes including the benefits of using apical cuttings as a source of clean (disease-free) seed. Farmers were trained in good agronomic practices of seed and ware potato production, contract farming and use of digital platforms. The training enhanced capacities of 121 participants (55 males, 66 females) comprising farmers of potato, cereals and dairy, extension workers (agriprenuers, farmer service centers, producer cooperative members), Village based agents (digital connectors), and Nakuru and Nyandarua County Government Officials on the utilization of the Viazi Soko and agriBORA platforms for market linkages in Kenya. Viazi Soko and agriBORA tools are digital platforms aimed at improving decision making for farmers including weather advisory, linkage to input and output markets, agricultural credit and crop insurance services. The viazi soko platform provides an efficient way for sourcing and procuring quality farm inputs such as certified seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals and services soil testing, mechanization, spray services, marketing information and extension. It is also used to help link farmers to market outlets and can be accessed via the Google Play Store, a web-based portal (www.npckviazisoko.com), and a USSD short code application (*483*331#). The agriBORA platform is an innovative suite of services that include agro-input lending, transactions check-out, and real-time crop monitoring. The platform can be accessed using USSD (*275#) codes for feature phones, Smart phone apps (AgriPOS, AgriKOPA, AgriHALA and agriMON) and over the Web (https://app.agribora.com). Plans were made with service providers (agriBORA and NPCK) to monitor the utilization of the two digital platforms to ensure that farmers remain active and get value for money.
National Workshop to Integrate Climate Knowledge Products in ATVET Curriculum: Farm Mechanization, Cooperative Organization, Marketing, And Rural Land Administration Programs
(Report, 2025-05) Belay, Berhanu; Ambaw, Gebermedihin; Makonnen, Brook T; Bulo, Million; Solomon, Dawit
Climate change education, particularly through curriculum development and the capacity-building of instructors teaching climate-related subjects, is critical in supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation in agriculture. A workshop was organized to integrate climate knowledge products (CKP) into the Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) curriculum in this context. Before the curriculum development, participants received training on climate basics and climate-smart agriculture, which provided a strong foundation for informed curriculum design. The curriculum development initiative was directed toward ATVET colleges, based on the premise that their graduates are expected to work at the grassroots level, where communities are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. A collaborative initiative between the Ministry of Labor and Skills (MoLS) and the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) influenced ATVET policy to incorporate a course entitled 'Applying Weather and Climate Information to Manage Agricultural Production Risk,' which was included across all agricultural disciplines in three successive rounds of curriculum development efforts. The workshop participants included the trainer (ATVET colleges) and the employer (Ministry of Agriculture). In the third round, held from March 10 to 15, 2025, technical staff from ATVET colleges, AICCRA, the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), MoLS, the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), and the Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) collaboratively developed a stand-alone course. This course will serve six programs: Agricultural Mechanization – Farm Machinery Operation, Agricultural Mechanization – Farm Machinery Mechanics, Rural Land Administration, Agricultural Cooperative Accounting and Auditing, Agricultural Cooperative Business Management, and Agricultural Cooperative Marketing. A total of 22 professionals participated in the workshop. The course content includes customized modules on climate basics, climate risk analysis, climate risk management, and reporting climate change effects, tailored to each program's specific needs. The Teaching, Training, and Learning Materials (TTLM) for five of the six programs were finalized, edited, and officially distributed to ATVET colleges for implementation. Moving forward, a tailored training program for staff teaching climate-related courses and a follow-up on implementing the new curriculum have been identified as the next priority steps.
Training on climate-smart forage and feed innovations - Malawi
(Report, 2025-01-31) Njoloma, Joyce; Nyoka, Isaac; Gosling, Amanda; Cramer, Laura Katherine
To address land degradation, climate change, and livestock feed gaps in semi-arid Malawi, the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project in partnership with the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), initiated the spillover of validated climate-smart feed and forage technologies, with a focus on Gliricidia sepium agroforestry practices. Over 2-3 December 2024, a workshop was held in Dowa District, Malawi, to improve training participants’ knowledge on the selected technologies as well as enhance partnerships and collaboration to accelerate the spillover process. This workshop report outlines the rationale for the training, details how the event was planned and implemented, and provides an overview of the participants. It concludes with a summary of the key findings and proposes recommendations to guide the way forward.
Training on climate-smart forage and feed innovations - Tanzania
(Report, 2025-01-31) Mpelangwa, Eziacka; Kimaro, Anthony; Gosling, Amanda; Cramer, Laura Katherine
To address land degradation, climate change, and livestock feed gaps in semi-arid Tanzania the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project, in partnership with the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), initiated the spillover of validated climate-smart feed and forage technologies, with a focus on Gliricidia sepium agroforestry practices. On the 5th of December 2024, a workshop was held in Dodoma, Tanzania, to improve training participants’ knowledge on the selected technologies as well as enhance partnerships and collaboration to accelerate the spillover process. This workshop report highlights the need for the training and provides information on the participants and how the workshop was planned and conducted. The report concludes with the key challenges raised and proposed actions for the way forward.
State of the Climate in Africa 2024
(Report, 2025-05-30) World Meteorological Organization
The State of the Climate in Africa report reflects the urgent and escalating realities of climate change across the continent. It also reveals a stark pattern of extreme weather events, with some countries grappling with unprecedented flooding caused by excessive rainfall and others enduring persistent droughts and water scarcity. WMO and its partners are committed to working with WMO Members to build resilience and strengthen adaptation efforts in Africa to protect lives and economies through initiatives such as Early Warnings for All. It is my hope that this report will provide inspiration and guidance for collective action to address increasingly complex challenges and cascading impacts.
Knowledge and Data Sharing - Annual Technical Report 2024
(Report, 2025-04) Tobón, Hector; Gamboa, Cristian; Morales, Tatiana; Tanaka, Kenji
This report presents an overview of the strategic and technical contributions made by the Knowledge and Data Sharing team in 2024 to enhance information and results management within the AICCRA project. Central to these efforts was the continued development and optimization of the MARLO tool, which now plays a critical role in fostering a culture of monitoring, evaluation (M&E), and results-oriented project management. These updates have significantly improved the integrity, quality, and impact of research outputs. The report highlights how improvements to MARLO and the implementation of the Data Management Plan—aligned with new funding streams and the revised results framework—have strengthened the project’s ability to deliver high-quality, verifiable results. By promoting open access principles and evidence-based approaches, the team has ensured that project outcomes are not only publicly available but also actionable, ultimately supporting more informed decision-making in the agricultural sector across Africa. In summary, the report describes the main system improvements, progress in digital integration, and the skills development that took place within the Knowledge and Data Sharing team itself. These actions helped the team better support project staff with planning and reporting, allowing for more efficient and coordinated work across the AICCRA initiative.
Bias-Aware AI in Agricultural Extension: Enhancing Equity and Inclusivity Through Human-Centered Design
(Poster, 2025) Nganga, Kevin Gitau; Ghosh, Aniruddha
This Info Note explores the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly Large Language Models (LLMs), in agricultural extension services. It emphasizes the importance of inclusivity and bias mitigation to ensure equitable outcomes for smallholder farmers, women, and marginalized groups. While LLMs can enhance climate resilience and decision-making by offering timely, context-aware advisories, they risk reinforcing systemic biases if not carefully designed. Moreover, it advocates for the integration of Human-Centered Design (HCD) principles and participatory methods throughout AI development to align technologies with diverse user needs. A novel methodology using the DALL·E image generation model demonstrates how prompt engineering can mitigate stereotypical representations in AI outputs. By combining ethical AI practices, localized insights, and inclusive visual and textual content, the InfoNote presents a roadmap for equitable innovation in agronomic and climate information systems. Policy and governance recommendations to foster trust, transparency, and broad adoption of AI tools in agriculture are also outlined.
Environmental enterprises and resources development conference: Chuka University
(Poster, 2025-03) Nderi, Alex; Ogutu, Liz; Jalango, Dorcas; Nzuki, Esther
This poster aims to share insights from the work in Kenya, where AICCRA collaborates with national and regional partners to provide tailored CIS and CSA advice, enabling farmers to manage risks and seize opportunities for more resilient agriculture. This bundled CSA and CIS practice presents an innovative decision-support tool for policy in Kenya. CSA and CIS equips AICCRA partners and the target beneficiaries - farmers with tools to build long-term resilience and manage shocks. The poster content was sourced from the AICCRA Kenya- Alliance team.
Senegal scaling week: Workshop report
(Report, 2025-03-24) Ewell, Hanna; Atadokpede, Marine; Siagbe, Golli; Diedhiou, Lamine; Ouedraogo, Mathieu
The AICCRA Senegal Scaling Week workshop, held at the Hotel les Flamboyants in Saly, Senegal 24-26th February 2025, focused on advancing the responsible and inclusive scaling of Climate Information Services (CIS) and Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) solutions to enhance resilience among smallholder farmers in Senegal. It brought together 33 people (8 of which were women), from various organizations including ministry of agriculture and livestock, Institute for Agricultural Research (ISRA, CERAAS), advisory and extension agency (ANCAR), agency for meteorology (ANACIM), farmers organizations (RESOPP, ADID, APAFIL) and private sector (Jokalante, URAC) and International organisations (AVSF, ILRI, ICRISAT and Alliance). The objective of the workshop was to support the Senegal cluster in operationalizing the scaling-up framework of the AICCRA project by developing effective CIS and CSA packages and corresponding climate solution profiles. In terms of methodological approaches, presentations were used to explain principles, with small groups' work and plenary discussions in a participative atmosphere used. Based on the concepts and principles shared, participants reflected on their visions, the barriers they face and accelerators or enabling factors to overcome them, and established roadmaps for four practices (climate solutions): the iSAT tool, animal feed, improved climate-smart crop varieties, and a community of practice on sustainable livestock management.
Regional plan for preparedness and response to pest and disease outbreaks in West and Central Africa 2024-2028
(Report, 2024-10) CORAF; CIAT
Development and adaptation of RIICE tool for Cote d'Ivoire
(Report, 2024-12) Mathieu, Renaud; Dossou-Yoyo, Eliott; Holecz, Francisco; Murusegan, Deiveegan; Quicho, Emma; Satapathy, Sushree; Akpoffo, Marius; Gatti, Luca; Ouedraogo, Mathieu
This report presents the development and adaptation of the RIICE (Remote sensing-based Information and Insurance for Crops in Emerging Economies) tool for Côte d'Ivoire, carried out under the auspices of the Regional Integrated Initiative of West and Central Africa in collaboration with the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project. The development and validation of the RIICE tool aims to enhance rice monitoring and yield estimation through the integration of remote sensing technologies, geospatial modeling, and field validation. Key activities conducted in 2024 included the generation of a rice baseline and ecosystem map, seasonal rice area estimation for the 2023 main wet season, and the assessment of Leaf Area Index (LAI) and yield estimations using an upgraded ORYZA crop growth model. The study leveraged multi-source remote sensing data, including Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, PlanetScope, and SAOCOM, to improve the accuracy of rice area detection and yield predictions. Field experiments were conducted to calibrate and validate crop models, focusing on dominant rice varieties and their response to different fertilizer applications in irrigated ecosystems. Findings indicate that the RIICE tool effectively identifies rice-growing areas with an 89.5% accuracy rate and provides reliable yield estimates ranging from 2.5 to 5.9 t/ha, aligning well with observed field data. The integration of climate, soil, and agronomic data enables improved decision-making for policymakers, researchers, and farmers. The study highlights the potential for expanding RIICE applications with L-band remote sensing (NISAR mission, 2025) and continued field validation to enhance monitoring accuracy. The results underscore the RIICE tool’s value in strengthening climate resilience, optimizing resource use, and improving rice production planning in Côte d'Ivoire. Further upscaling and refinement of the tool will contribute to data-driven agricultural management and climate adaptation efforts in West Africa.
Satellite-based dgital platform for rice production, and climate impact monitoring for Mali
(Report, 2024-12) Mathieu, Renaud; Dossou-Yovo, Eliott; Holecz, Francisco; Murusegan, Deiveegan; Quicho, Emma; Satapathy, Sushree; Akpoffo, Marius; Gatti, Luca
Rice is a staple crop in Mali, playing a crucial role in the country's economy, food security, and social fabric. It is cultivated in both irrigated and rainfed ecosystems across key rice-growing regions, including Segou, Mopti, Timbuktu, Sikasso, and Selingue. However, despite increasing demand driven by population growth, rice farming in Mali faces significant challenges, particularly climate variability. Effective monitoring of rice production using remote sensing technologies is essential for optimizing yields, improving resource management, and mitigating climate risks. The Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project, in collaboration with national and regional partners, supports climate resilience through climate risk mapping, crop monitoring, and climate impact assessments. Since 2022, IRRI, AfricaRice, and Sarmap have been piloting a digital rice production monitoring platform in Mali, focusing on the Segou/Mopti region (Office du Niger) and Sikasso Circle as part of Phase I. Phase II (2024–2025) aims to scale up and validate the platform nationwide, enhance its performance and adaptation to regional production systems, and integrate it into the national digital information system. This will be achieved through targeted advocacy, institutional interventions, and advanced training. This report outlines the objectives and planned activities for 2024 under the remote sensing-based rice monitoring initiative in Mali, as part of the AICCRA project.

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