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Climate Change and African Agricultural Resilience: A 10-Year Comprehensive Review of Adaptive Capacity, Policy, and Environmental Stewardship

Okonkwo CO, Mawcha KT, Changwa R, Ndolo D, Babalola OO

Plant-environment interactions (Hoboken, N.J.), 2026

Abstract

In the current era, climate change has emerged as a fundamental threat to African agriculture, driven by increasingly erratic climatic patterns such as prolonged rainfall, decadal droughts, and escalating thermal stress. This review evaluates contemporary agricultural productivity by gathering and analyzing empirical data from academic publications and credible online resources indexed between 2015 and 2025. The primary objective is to delineate the impacts of climatic instability on yield trajectories and food system accessibility. Utilizing a regional comparative framework, the study examines 10 African nations (two per geographic region) to identify localized and pan-African trends. Data synthesis from Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar reveals that climatic variations have fundamentally undermined food security, contributing to famine, economic displacement, and the erosion of rural livelihoods. Key barriers to effective adaptation were identified as financial incapacity, weak institutional synergy, and a deficit in research and development infrastructure. Consequently, this review highlights the urgent need for a multifaceted resilience strategy that harmonizes indigenous adaptation practices, advanced genomics technology, application of artificial intelligence, and digital climate-smart technologies. Strengthening food security will require not only technological adoption but also robust policy frameworks, incentivized investment, infrastructural development,…

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