This research area develops and evaluates communication strategies that address particular needs of women, and that involve youth and leverage students’ influence on farm communities. While available evidence suggests considerable potential for climate services to inform farmer decision-making, enabling farmers to better manage risk, take advantage of favourable climate conditions, and adapt to change, a substantial body of research also shows that the availability of information is often not sufficient for smallholder farmers to benefit. CCAFS research address the gaps between widely available services and what is known about farmers’ needs, and strengthen the evidence base about the use and benefits of well-designed climate services.

Expected research outputs include:

  • evidence and insights from Climate-Smart Villages, climate service pilots and national implementation initiatives;
  • methods, tools and guidance materials to enable implementation of scalable participatory, ICT- and radio-based channels for delivering climate services to rural communities;
  • methods to identify and meet particular climate service needs of women and youth;
  • institutional arrangements that foster sustainable co-production of services with relevant agencies and targeted rural communities;
  • tools and evidence to improve the nature, timing or targeting of climate-informed agricultural planning and food security interventions.