Southern Africa, just like other regions in Africa, is experiencing significant climate change impacts that threaten lives, livelihoods and food security, making climate adaptation a priority. Effective adaptation can only exist when there is comprehensive, credible and reliable data to inform adaptation interventions. In response to this, the ABC developed the Africa Agriculture Adaptation Atlas, web-based data-rich tool for planning climate adaptation investments and policies. It integrates scientific and socioeconomic data to support evidence-informed decision making in agriculture and related sectors.
AGNES, in partnership with IWMI Southern Africa and the Sustainable Agriculture Foundation, convened a regional training and sensitization workshop on the Africa Agriculture Adaptation Atlas from 16th to 18th July 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The workshop brought together stakeholders from 10 countries to build capacity on the use of the Atlas as a data-driven decision-support tool for adaptation planning across the region.
A Practical and Participatory Approach
The workshop was intentionally designed to go beyond presentations. Participants engaged in hands-on, roundtable learning sessions, where they worked directly with the Atlas notebooks. These included notebooks on:
- Evaluating climate risks
- Projected climate impacts
- Understanding heat stress on producers
- Analysing women’s exposure to climate hazards
- Estimating economic returns on adaptation
- Prioritizing livestock investments
- Discovering solutions
Each session was facilitated by experts who guided participants through the components of the MERL tool and its associated notebooks. Participants engaged actively by sharing reflections and exploring practical use cases relevant to their national and institutional contexts. Through these discussions, they identified various potential applications of the tool, including national adaptation planning, proposal development, policy formulation, and project design. Additionally, participants provided valuable feedback on the tool’s functionality, relevance and suggested areas for improvement to enhance its effectiveness and usability.
Policy Connections and Political Buy-in
A highlight of the workshop was the session on bridging data gaps to support parliamentary action, featuring Members of Parliament from Zambia and Zimbabwe. They shared valuable insights on how evidence-based tools, such as the Atlas, can enhance lawmaking, inform budget allocations and strengthen oversight functions in support of climate resilience. The discussion underscored the critical importance of aligning technical tools with legislative and policy processes to ensure their effective uptake and sustained impact.
Building Regional Ownership
The Southern Africa workshop marked the final session in a series of regional Atlas training and sensitization, which previously took place in Central, Eastern, and West Africa (both Francophone and Anglophone regions). As climate impacts continue to intensify, the Atlas serves as a timely and practical resource for governments, civil society, and private sector actors committed to strengthening climate resilience across all levels.