Transforming Africa’s vast agricultural resources into a climate-resilient, productive, and competitive system will require a deliberate policy and investment shift, according to a senior regional official.

Speaking at a two-day forum on Scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture in Eastern and Southern Africa, Daher Elmi, Director of Agriculture and Environment at the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), emphasized that Africa holds enormous untapped potential — including the world’s largest share of uncultivated arable land, the youngest population, and a rapidly expanding digital and innovation ecosystem.

However, he noted that unlocking these advantages demands strategic transformation.

“We must transform Africa’s agriculture into a climate-resilient, productive, and competitive system,” Elmi said.

Climate-Smart Agriculture at the Core of Food Systems Reform

Elmi stressed that climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is central to reshaping Africa’s food systems. Given the cross-border nature of climate shocks, he highlighted the importance of regional coordination.

“No country can confront climate change alone,” he said, underscoring that droughts, floods, and food insecurity frequently affect multiple countries simultaneously.

In response, IGAD is implementing strategic initiatives aimed at scaling climate-smart agriculture and strengthening food systems across the Horn of Africa and neighboring regions.

Ethiopia Advancing Climate-Smart Agriculture

Awoke Mulualem, Natural Resource and Climate Change Program Director at the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute, said climate-smart agriculture is essential for improving productivity, resilience, and sustainability in Ethiopia’s food systems.

He outlined concrete national actions, including:

• Restoration of degraded lands
• Improved water retention systems
• Enhanced soil health through better nutrient management

Mulualem added that these measures align with Ethiopia’s broader agricultural transformation agenda. The country has also established a Climate-Smart Agriculture Center of Excellence and launched a digital platform designed to translate agricultural policy into practical implementation.

He emphasized that stronger national and regional collaboration will be critical to achieving long-term climate resilience in agriculture.

International Partners Back Regional Efforts

Olivia Owen, New Zealand’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, reaffirmed her country’s support for climate-smart agriculture initiatives.

“Agriculture underpins livelihoods, food security, and economic transformation in every country,” she said, stressing the need to enhance climate resilience, improve food security, and reduce agricultural emissions.

Similarly, Tim Robertson, Senior Agricultural Specialist at the World Bank, described climate-smart agriculture as “critically important” for unlocking Africa’s agricultural potential.

He called for accelerated collaboration among governments, development partners, and the private sector, noting that technology and innovation will play a decisive role in scaling sustainable agricultural solutions.

Deliberate Shift Needed for Competitive Agriculture

Africa’s agricultural transformation will depend on coordinated policy reform, technology adoption, climate adaptation strategies, and regional cooperation.

With climate risks intensifying and food security challenges mounting, experts at the forum agreed that scaling climate-smart agriculture is not optional — it is essential to achieving sustainable growth, resilience, and competitiveness in African agriculture.