Study exposes gaps in Africa climate adaptation knowledge

Researchers warn climate change is widening evidence gaps in adaptation strategies across the continent. [File,Standard]

A major mapping of climate adaptation research in Sub-Saharan Africa has found wide gaps in evidence on what works for food security and livelihoods, despite a large body of studies already published.

The International Centre for Evaluation and Development (ICED) screened nearly 36,000 studies on climate adaptation interventions but found only about 370 met the inclusion criteria for impact evaluation or systematic review, according to the analysis.

The findings point to a concentration of research on crop production while other sectors central to African livelihoods, including fisheries and aquaculture, remain understudied. In many coastal and lakeside communities, these sectors provide food and income, yet evidence on whether adaptation strategies improve outcomes remains limited.

The study also notes that much of the existing work focuses on why households adopt certain practices rather than whether those practices improve food security or income.

“Evidence exists, but it is not always accessible in ways that inform action,” said ICED researchers in the analysis.

Evidence and Gap Maps (EGMs), used in the study, organise research into structured platforms that show what has been studied, where results exist and where gaps remain. The approach is intended to support governments and development partners in policy design and resource allocation.

African institutions featured strongly in the evidence base, with researchers from Ethiopia, South Africa, Ghana and Kenya contributing a large share of studies. Institutions from the United States and Europe also remained major contributors, raising questions about research priorities and agenda setting in climate adaptation.

The report comes as countries assess progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with only 18 per cent of targets on track for 2030, according to The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025. Energy, health and education show gains while climate action and blue economy efforts lag.

The analysis warns that Africa remains off track on climate adaptation despite rising impacts. More than 500,000 climate-related deaths are reported annually across the continent, according to the study.

Researchers say tools such as EGMs can help governments and donors identify interventions with stronger evidence and highlight areas where new research is needed, particularly in under-studied sectors and regions.

The study calls for greater investment in African-led research to strengthen policy design and program delivery as climate risks intensify.