Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) has emerged as a critical strategy to address the dual challenges of food security and climate change. Yet global adoption remains uneven, hindered by systemic barriers that go beyond technological solutions. Through a comparative analysis of rain fed systems in Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, this paper identifies three key obstacles: policy fragmentation, financing gaps, and equity disparities. Findings reveal that CSA is more effective where localized governance is in place, where blended knowledge systems integrate indigenous and scientific approaches, and where inclusive financing mechanisms reduce risk for smallholders. The paper also critiques CSA’s unresolved tensions, including trade-offs between mitigation and productivity goals, and the risk of neoliberal models overshadowing equity. To scale CSA effectively, the study calls for institutional reforms that prioritize farmer-centered design, equity-focused metrics, and coordination across governance levels. The analysis underscores that CSA’s promise depends not on innovation alone, but on addressing systemic inequities and power imbalances in agricultural systems.
Shimanga Mubitana (Fri,) studied this question.