Africa emits the least greenhouse gases globally yet suffers some of the worst impacts of climate change. From flash floods to prolonged droughts, these climate shocks are escalating in both frequency and intensity. Agriculture, which employs over 60% of the population, remains the most vulnerable sector as it is climate sensitive. As rainfall patterns shift and heatwaves intensify, smallholder farmers are left guessing how to plant, harvest, and survive. Thus, the Africa Agriculture Adaptation Atlas tools. the tool connects scientific knowledge with practical applications, providing researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and investors with localized insights on climate risks, impacts, vulnerabilities, and adaptation strategies. Between 7-9 May 2025, the AGNES and AIMS convened a sensitization and training workshop in Kigali to sensitize the African scientific community on the Africa Agriculture Adaptation Atlas tool.
Training the scientists who will drive Africa’s climate future
The participants went through the nine notebooks with each notebook unique to the area of focus. The notebooks are understanding climate risks, estimating economic returns on adaptation, and identifying how heat stress affects agricultural workers. explores how women experience climate risks differently, discover solutions, and formulate climate rationales.
The research and scientific communities identified relevant applications to their profession and agreed to test these applications in their research work. These use cases will be followed up in two to three months to evaluate the tool’s practical value and inform future improvements.
Hands-on learning and real-time feedback
Unlike conventional workshops, this wasn’t just theory. Participants formed small working groups, each assigned specific notebooks. Over three days, they reviewed content, tested functionality, and offered concrete feedback. They assessed the tool’s usability, and adaptability to their national contexts. Questions emerged from the breakout sessions about the possibility of the tool’s data to extend beyond agriculture, into health or water resource planningthey inquired whether datasets could be aligned in spatial resolution to avoid misinterpretation—given the tool currently uses 1km resolution for satellite estimates and 25km for CMIP6 climate models. They also recommended the inclusion of seasonal forecasts and coastal systems to enhance usability. Facilitators clarified that each dataset is tailored to its respective notebook and that upcoming improvements could include additional thematic notebooks, such as on marine systems, soil, and water resources.
Scaling knowledge across the continent
The Kigali workshop marked the first in a series of regional trainings planned for 2025. Next stops include sub-regional sensitization and training workshops in Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and South Africa for the Civil Society Organization, private sector, and policymakers. The intention is to increase the circle of users among the Civil Society Organizations, policymakers, and practitioners.
Conclusion
In the climate change space, tools often exist but go unused due to poor awareness or lack of capacity. The Kigali workshop flipped that script. It placed the Adaptation Atlas into the hands of those who need it most—and showed them how to use it well. In doing so, it planted seeds for a future where African adaptation isn’t reactive but proactive, guided by evidence, powered by local expertise, and built on collaboration. A survival strategy!