AICCRA Reports

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

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MALI Scaling week workshop report
(Report, 2025-05) Ewell, Hanna Louise Deborah; Marius, Assogba Guy; Ouedraogo, Mathieu; Dossou Yovo, Elliott Ronald; Toure, Haissa; Diabate, Fatoumata; Bengaly, Oumar; Coulibaly, Issouf; Sangare, Modibo
The AICCRA Mali Scaling Week workshop, held from May 5–7, 2025, in Bamako, brought together 38 participants from research, government, and development sectors to explore strategies for responsibly scaling Climate Information Services (CIS) and Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) innovations. Through participatory sessions, the workshop deepened participants' understanding of the AICCRA Scaling Framework, encouraged reflection on barriers and enablers of scaling, and promoted systems thinking. The event focused on developing actionable roadmaps for four priority innovation bundles: Climate-Smart Rice Intensification, Integrated Resilient Rice-Fish Systems, Smart-Valley Development, and Inclusive Climate-Smart Rice Processing. Key outcomes included the identification of social and environmental risks, the articulation of responsible scaling pathways, and strengthened collaboration among actors. The workshop reinforced the importance of inclusive, context-specific solutions to achieve sustainable climate resilience and improved livelihoods in Mali.
Rapport D'atelier de programmation des emissions radiophoniques dans le cadre du projet AICCRA Senegal
(Report, 2025-06-26) Diedhiou, Lamine; Ka, Binetou; Dieng, Talla; Worou, Nadine
L’atelier tenu à Kaolack les 10 et 11 mai 2025 a réuni 19 participants issus des radios communautaires partenaires du projet AICCRA, de l’URAC, du RESOPP et de l’équipe ILRI. Son objectif principal était de planifier la campagne radiophonique 2025, en mettant l’accent sur les pratiques agricoles et pastorales résilientes au climat. Les travaux ont permis de valider une liste de thématiques prioritaires, d’élaborer un calendrier de diffusion, d’harmoniser les outils de suivi des émissions et de clarifier le rôle des clubs d’écoute. Une session de formation a également permis de renforcer les capacités des animateurs sur les conditions d’une émission réussie. L’atelier a mis en lumière les bonnes pratiques, identifié les points d’amélioration et formulé des recommandations concrètes pour améliorer l’impact des émissions à venir.
AICCRA Partners’ satisfaction survey results for 2024
(Report, 2025-03) Giombini, Valentina; Calì, Davide; Schuetz, Tonya
Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) supports climate-smart agriculture and climate information services through six country teams and thematic clusters. Its 2024 Partners’ Satisfaction and Partnership Efficacy survey collected 417 responses from 227 stakeholders across 12 clusters, achieving a 70% response rate. AICCRA uses this feedback to strengthen partnerships, improve service delivery, and inform performance metrics such as Intermediary Progress Indicator on ‘Use or adaptation of AICCRA-funded climate relevant knowledge products, decision-making tools and services confirmed by surveyed partners and stakeholders. The survey assessed 46 AICCRA services, reporting an average usage rate of 84% and a satisfaction score of 88%. Services were perceived as demand-driven by 67% of respondents. Capacity strengthening (43% of services) reached over 70,000 people, while tools and technologies (35%) reached nearly 9,000. Technical assistance (22%) scored highest in satisfaction (90%). The survey also indicated improved integration of climate-smart Gender and Social Inclusion (GSI) (87%). The multilingual survey supports citizen engagement and captures diverse perspectives across Africa's climate resilience landscape.
Partnering for Impact: Jameel Observatory’s 5th Annual Community of Practice on Anticipatory Action in Africa's Drylands
(Report, 2025-05-30) Grossi, Amanda; Ahmed, Jemal Seid; Degefie, Degefie Tibebe; Demissie, Teferi
In May 2025, the Jameel Observatory held its fifth Community of Practice workshop—its first ever in Ethiopia—at ILRI in Addis Ababa. With support from the AICCRA project, which helped convene key national stakeholders, the workshop focused on advancing early warning and anticipatory action for dryland resilience. The event aligned closely with AICCRA’s Theme 4 on Climate Information Services, emphasizing equitable access to climate data, capacity-building for next users, and inclusion of pastoralist communities. Over 100 participants engaged across sessions exploring resilience, forecasts, locally led action, and data use. Two featured sessions examined Ethiopia’s role in the Early Warning for All (EW4All) initiative and explored the role of capacity development in advancing locally led adaptation. The event reinforced AICCRA’s goals to strengthen national and regional systems, promote anticipatory action, and empower advisory service providers to make climate information actionable across Africa’s drylands.
Report on the introduction of Climate Information Services (CIS) within the AGNES leadership course
(Report, 2025-04-02) Gamoyo, Majambo; Seid, Jemal; Koech, Grace; Grossi, Amanda; Ghosh, Aniruddha
Rapport de validation du programme d'accélération de l'élevage sensible au genre-chaine de valeur lait
(Report, 2025-06-24) Siagbe, Golli; Derenoncourt, Marie Ena Pascale; Atadokpede, Marine; Ouedraogo, Issa
The implementation of an acceleration program requires a participatory and inclusive approach to determining objectives, business selection criteria, and training content, as well as identifying opportunities for collaboration. For the Gender Smart Livestock Accelerator (GSLA), led by the Alliance Bioversity & CIAT Alliance in collaboration with ILRI under the AICCRA program, the program design was finalized through a one-day validation workshop attended by nearly 30 resource persons. This workshop refined the program’s objectives, areas of intervention, training content, and potential partnerships for delivering training and financing companies. Prior to the workshop, stakeholder consultations were held from the last quarter of 2024 until April 2025, to gather their opinions on the program, identify the training modules, and define collaboration areas. Participants in the program include Individuals, Sole Proprietorships, Single-member, Limited Liability Company, Cooperatives, and Economic Interest Groups operating throughout the dairy value chain. The selected training modules are: Technical modules: · Climate change, climate-smart agriculture—climate information service related to livestock farming. · Animal health. · Feeding. · Good practices (milk quality, processing, and storage). · Circular economy. Business development and leadership modules: · Leadership · Business management, simplified accounting/market access/calculation/pricing · Business creation (formalization process). · Financial intermediation. · Awareness of existing policies and programs supporting livestock farming in Senegal. · Guide for women entrepreneurs. · Organizational dynamics. The key recommendation is to foster effective collaboration between livestock sector stakeholders and financial institutions to ensure high-quality training and improved access to finance by the end of the program.
Harmonizing Climate Risk Management in Agricultural Extension (CRMAE) Curricula Targeting Livestock Systems
(Report, 2025-04-05) Grossi, Amanda; Borthwick, Fiona; Simm, Geoff; Menéndez, Martín Del Valle; Worou, Nadine; Crane, Todd; Belay, Berhanu; Hansen, James
This report presents the outcomes of a regional harmonization workshop held in Nairobi in April 2024 to adapt the Climate Risk Management in Agriculture Education (CRMAE) curriculum for livestock systems across Ethiopia, Kenya, and Senegal. Bringing together meteorological agencies, research institutions, universities, regional institutions, and grassroots and development organizations representing and working with pastoralists, the workshop aimed to align climate risk management competencies and learning outcomes with the realities of pastoralist communities. Through participatory exercises, discussions, and diagnostic tools, the workshop identified key knowledge gaps and opportunities for contextualizing training, integrating local and indigenous knowledge, and improving access to climate information services (CIS). Tools like KAZNET, EDACaP, and WENDOU were examined for their potential in bridging CIS with extension services, while challenges such as digital access, trust, and coordination were discussed. The workshop culminated in consensus on a harmonized set of core competencies and next steps for co-developing localized curriculum materials, thereby strengthening climate-resilient extension for pastoralist systems in East and West Africa.
Cost-Benefit Analysis for Climate Information Services: Training for County Directors of Meteorological Services (CDMS)
(Report, 2025-03-31) Murage, Paul; Braun, Mélody; Smith Ruiz, Paulina; Mwai, Zacharia; Kimani, Margaret; Kangila, Isaac; Muriuki, Edward; Chemaiyo, Pascaline; Kramer, Berber
This report summarizes the findings of a 3-day training program for eighteen (18) Kenyan Meteorological Department County Directors of Meteorological Services (CDMS), on Cost Benefit Analysis for Climate Information Services (CBA for CIS), in Nakuru, Kenya on March 12-14th 2025. The program was jointly organized by the “Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa” (AICCRA) program and the Institute for Meteorological Training and Research (IMTR) at the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD). The training aimed at building the capacity of CDMS to think critically through ways to quantify and evaluate the monetary and non-monetary costs and benefits of the climate information services developed in their counties, with a strong focus on Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI). Training materials built on an online training conducted by IFPRI, AICCRA and the CGIAR Gender Platform in November and December 2024, and were tailored to the CDMS context during a validation workshop held on March 10th and 11th, 2025.
Training Workshop on RiceAdvice Lite for NARES and Private Sector: Delivering Site-Specific Rice Recommendations in Mali
(Report, 2025-05) Suh, Neville; Ahouantan, Kokou; Dossou-Yovo, Elliott
Rice plays a vital role in Mali’s food security and rural employment, but production faces growing challenges from climate variability, poor soil fertility, and limited farmer capacity to adopt climate-smart practices. The AICCRA Mali project addresses these challenges by promoting climate-smart agriculture (CSA) tools such as RiceAdvice Lite to improve sustainable rice production. In 2025, AICCRA conducted two capacity-building sessions, training three Extension Officers and 16 Field Assistants from NARES, private sector, and multiple regions in generating site-specific fertilizer recommendations using RiceAdvice Lite. A total of 19 trainers of trainers, including six women, were equipped to support lead farmers, strengthen institutional capacity, and ensure the long-term adoption of CSA and climate information services in Mali.
Training Workshop for NARES and Private Sector on GapFinder: Monitoring Farmer Adoption of Sustainable Rice Practices
(Report, 2025-05) Suh, Neville; Ahouanton, Kokou; Dossou-Yovo, Elliott
Promoting sustainable rice production is a critical priority for developing countries like Mali, where rice serves as a key staple food. In Mali, the AICCRA project seeks to advance sustainable rice farming by building farmers' skills and capacities in adopting a range of climate-smart best management practices. Although 81,146 farmers (including 37,249 women) have been exposed to various climate-smart technologies—such as mechanization services, drought-tolerant rice varieties, and RiceAdvice—it remains uncertain to what extent these practices are being effectively implemented or whether farmers face obstacles limiting their full adoption. To address this, AICCRA organized training for the National Agricultural Research and Extension Services (NARES), private sector stakeholders, and lead farmers in Mali on the use of Rice GAPfinder, a tool designed to benchmark farmers' practices and track their progress toward sustainable rice production. The training involved evaluating key performance indicators (PIs) to identify priority areas for targeted capacity building. A two-day workshop held in the Sikasso region trained 13 participants on how to use Rice GAPfinder to assess farmers’ sustainable rice production practices. Participants were trained on 12 performance indicators, including profitability, labor productivity, yield productivity, water productivity and quality, nitrogen-use efficiency, phosphorus-use efficiency, biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, food safety, health and safety, child labor and youth inclusion, and women’s empowerment. The outcomes of this activity will provide insights into farmers’ adoption of sustainable rice practices and highlight areas for further improvement and capacity-building efforts. The ultimate goal is to enhance the adoption of sustainable practices that improve resource use efficiency, reduce the environmental and climate impacts of rice farming, and increase productivity.
Evaluation of the agronomic and economic performances of integrated rice-fish systems in Mali
(Report, 2025-06) Akpoffo, Marius; Guindo, Jonathan; Dossou-Yovo, Elliott
Agriculture, livestock, and fisheries are central to Mali’s economy, yet the country faces growing challenges from climate change, land degradation, and water scarcity, threatening food security and livelihoods. This study evaluated the agronomic and economic performance of integrated rice-fish systems as a climate-smart agriculture innovation promoted under the AICCRA project in Mali. Field experiments were conducted across three sites (Baguineda, Selingue, and Massala) using six treatments: rice monoculture without fertilizer (T1), fish monoculture (T2), rice monoculture with fertilizer (T3), rice irrigated with fish pond water (T4), integrated rice-fish with fish in the middle (T5), and integrated rice-fish with fish at the border (T6). Results showed that rice yield, fish yield, rice equivalent yield, system productivity efficiency, gross revenue, and net benefit were significantly influenced by both site and farming system. Baguineda consistently outperformed the other sites across all parameters, while Massala recorded the lowest performance. Among treatments, T5 (Rice-Fish middle) consistently produced the highest system productivity efficiency and net benefit, outperforming even T3 (Rice with recommended fertilizer) by increasing productivity efficiency by 0.15 t/ha/day and net benefit by USD 11,251/ha while maintaining comparable rice yields. These findings highlight the potential of integrated rice-fish systems, particularly rice-fish with fish pond in the middle of rice field, as a viable strategy for improving farm productivity and income while reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers in Mali’s rice-based systems.
Zambia National Framework for Climate Services (NFCS - ZM)
(Report, 2025-05) International Water Management Institute
The National Framework for Climate Services (NFCS) serves as an institutional mechanism to enhance coordination, collaboration, and efficiency among national institutions. Its goal is to strengthen the co-production, customisation, dissemination, and utilisation of science-based weather, water, and climate predictions and services, aligning with the five pillars of the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS). The GFCS is supported by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) with the mandate to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process and the implementation of the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Developing the Mali Disaster Risk Management Maproom
(Report, 2025-06) Dinku, Tufa; Faniriantsoa, Rija; Dinh, Dannie
This report presents the development of the Mali Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Maproom, a collaborative effort between the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) and Mali’s National Meteorological Agency (Mali-Météo). Utilizing the ENACTS approach, which integrates limited observed data with satellite information to improve climate data quality, the DRM Maproom offers historical climate analysis, Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) monitoring, and real-time seasonal updates. Designed to support disaster risk management, the tool enables government agencies, humanitarian organizations, and planners to anticipate climate-related disasters, improve early warning systems, and strengthen climate resilience across Mali.
Developing the Mali Climate Suitability for Crop Maproom
(Report, 2025-06) Dinku, Tufa; Faniriantsoa, Rija; Dinh, Dannie
This report presents the development and key functionalities of the Mali Climate Suitability for Crop Maproom, a collaborative effort between the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) and Mali’s National Meteorological Agency (Mali-Météo). Utilizing the ENACTS approach to enhance climate data quality by integrating observed and satellite data, the Maproom offers localized climate analyses focused on rainfall and temperature to assess crop suitability. Designed as a decision-support tool, it enables farmers, planners, and policymakers to optimize crop selection and planting schedules, thereby improving agricultural resilience and food security under variable and changing climatic conditions in Mali.
Enhancements of Mali AgDataHub based on users feedback
(Report, 2025-06) Akshatha, Annaiah; Dhulipala, Ram; Dossou-Yovo, Elliott; Diarra Ba, Affoussata; Whitbread, Anthony
The AgDataHub Mali platform, developed under the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) program, represents a major advancement in delivering climate information services (CIS) to support climate-resilient agriculture in Mali. Co-developed by ILRI, AfricaRice, and Mali-Météo, the platform integrates data from national and international sources into a centralized, user-friendly system designed to inform agricultural planning and policy. Launched in November 2024, AgDataHub Mali provides real-time, geo-specific climate insights, agro-meteorological analysis, and digital advisories tailored to the needs of diverse users, including policymakers, technical staff, development partners, and farmer-support organizations. Following its initial deployment, iterative improvements were made in 2025 in response to user feedback, including the integration of ARC2 rainfall data, decadal rainfall aggregation, enhanced satellite imagery visualization, and planned incorporation of national-level climate, weather, and soil data. The platform’s design emphasizes both technical rigor and user accessibility, ensuring that stakeholders at all levels can make informed, climate-smart decisions. As Mali faces increasing climate-related challenges, AgDataHub Mali stands as a scalable, collaborative model for integrating digital innovation into national climate resilience strategies.
Gender-based barriers hindering the uptake of CSA and CIS technologies in rice production systems in Mali
(Report, 2025-05) Diabate, Fatoumata; Eissler, Sarah; Mujawamariya, Gaudiose; Bryan, Elizabeth; Dossou-Yovo, Elliott; Ringler, Claudia; Aminou, Arouna
Women face significant challenges to adapt to the climate change effect in rice farming, due to socio-cultural norms, and unequal access to agricultural resources, climate-adapted technologies, and climate information services. This study explores the gendered constraints and opportunities in rice production in Mali, with the aims to identify enabling mechanisms that support women in accessing and using these climate smart technologies and practices. It is based on qualitative data collected from 12 circles in five rice growing regions in Mali (Ségou, Sikasso, Koulikoro, Dioila, and San) among 35 key informant interviews (KIIs) held with 259 respondents (171 men and 88 women), and 40 sex-disaggregated focus group discussions (FGDs), that engaged 348 farmers (180 men and 168 women). Findings reveal that barriers to adoption of CSA and CIS technologies include socio-cultural norms, financial barriers, limited training and literacy, as well as differences in access to and control over agricultural resources; women experience additional challenge such as limited access to farmland, reliance on male counterparts for equipment, and restricted access to credit. The study recommends gender-inclusive strategies including delivering information in local languages, expanding training opportunities for farmers, and improving women’s access to credit. Awareness campaigns on climate-resilient crop varieties and sustainable practices can increase adoption and build women resilience in rice-based farming systems.
Capacity strengthening of Post Graduates in climate smart agricutlure and climate information services
(Report, 2025-06) Diallo, Aboubacar; Doumbia, Salif; Dossou-Yovo, Elliott
Climate change poses persistent challenges to agricultural productivity, food security, and rural livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in rice-based systems where millions of smallholder farmers are vulnerable to climate variability. As part of its commitment to strengthening human capital and advancing climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and climate information services (CIS), the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project supported ten post-graduate researchers to conduct applied field research in Mali between January and June 2025. The research covered ten priority themes, including the integration of CSA technologies and CIS, gender-responsive innovations such as GEM parboiling, diversification with vegetables and tubers, water and nutrient management, rice-fish systems, innovation platforms, and climate suitability assessments. Findings demonstrated that combined adoption of CSA and CIS significantly improved rice yields, farm incomes, water productivity, food consumption scores, and adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers. Studies also highlighted key enablers for adoption, such as access to training, digital platforms for delivering geo-specific CIS, and inclusive innovation platforms that foster multi-stakeholder collaboration. The program not only generated critical evidence to inform policy and scaling strategies but also strengthened the technical, analytical, and leadership capacities of a new cadre of early-career scientists. The results underscore the importance of integrated approaches that combine technological, institutional, and social innovations to enhance resilience, productivity, and inclusiveness in rice-based systems under climate change. The report concludes with policy recommendations to support sustained scaling of CSA and CIS innovations while strengthening national research capacities in Mali and beyond.
Disseminating climate information services using digital platforms in Mali
(Report, 2025-06) Diallo, Aboubacar; Bengaly, Oumar; Dossou-Yovo, Elliott
Mali agriculture remains highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate variability, particularly for smallholder rice farmers facing unpredictable rainfall, droughts, and rising temperatures. To address these challenges, the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project in Mali developed and scaled digital platforms to deliver personalized, location-specific climate information services (CIS). This farmer-centered platform, integrating tools such as WhatsApp, phone calls, SMS, and radio broadcasts provided actionable forecasts and agro-climatic advisories tailored to farmers’ specific needs and locations. Between January and June 2025, 427,155 rice farmers (41% women) accessed CIS through these platforms. USe of CIS enabled significant improvements in agricultural outcomes, with rice yields increasing by 1,600 kg/ha, incomes rising by 561 USD/ha, and food consumption scores improving by 11 points. The interactive, inclusive design of the digital platform not only enhanced farmers' adaptive capacity but also demonstrated a scalable model for climate-resilient agricultural development in Mali’s rice-based systems.
Impact of digital platforms for disseminating climate information services on rice yield, farmers' income and food consumption in Mali
(Report, 2025-06) Diallo, Aboubacar; Suh, Neville; Dossou-Yovo, Elliott
This report presents the outcomes of the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) Mali project, which aimed to enhance climate resilience in rice-based farming systems through the dissemination of geo-specific climate information services (CIS) using digital platforms. Conducted between 2021 and 2025, the study employed a clustered randomized control trial (cRCT) design across the Sikasso, Koulikoro, and Ségou regions to assess the impacts of digital CIS platforms—such as WhatsApp, phone calls, SMS, and radio—on farmers’ rice yields, incomes, and food security. A total of 427,155 rice farmers, 41% of whom were women, accessed CIS through these platforms. The results indicate that access to CIS via WhatsApp led to significant improvements, increasing rice yields by 1,600 kg/ha, household income by USD 561, and food consumption scores by 11 points. Key determinants of adoption included education, farm size, remittance receipts, distance to farms, drought exposure, off-farm income activities, and household storage practices. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of digital platforms in delivering personalized CIS, improving farmers' adaptive capacities, and enhancing livelihoods in climate-vulnerable rice systems in Mali.
Satellite-based digital platform for rice production and climate impact monitoring in Mali
(Report, 2025-06) Mathieu, Renaud; Dossou-Yovo, Elliott; Holecz, Francisco; Murusegan, Deiveegan; Quicho, Emma; Akpoffo, Marius; Gatti, Luca
Rice is a staple crop in Mali and plays a vital role in the country's economy, food security, and social structure. Rice is primarily grown in both irrigated and rainfed ecosystems, in the major rice-growing regions including Ségou, Mopti, Timbuktu, Sikasso and Selingue. Despite the growing demand for rice due to population expansion, rice farming in Mali faces challenges, including climate variability. Effective monitoring of rice production through remote sensing technologies is essential for optimizing crop yields, managing resources efficiently, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and addressing 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, has been piloting a digital monitoring rice production platform in Mali, with a focus in the Segou/Mopti region (Office du Niger) and Sikasso Circle, as part of Phase I. Phase II (2024-2025) aims to upscale and validate the platform at national scale, further improve performance and adaptation to regional production systems, as well as facilitate its uptake into the national digital information system, through adequate advocating and institutionalization interventions, and advanced training. This report outlines the objectives, methods and activities undertaken in the first half of 2025 of the remote sensing-based rice monitoring initiative in Mali, as part of the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research in Africa project.

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