Harvesting Knowledge, Building Resilience: AfCAP’s Path to Climate‑Smart Africa Rice Futures 

From Challenge to Resilience 

Rice is rapidly becoming Africa’s most important staple, with demand rising by 6% each year, faster than any other food. Yet, the continent still imports about 40% of what it consumes, leaving millions of smallholder farmers under pressure to boost local production while depending on rice for their livelihoods. Climate change is already making it harder to sustain yields, and traditional rice cultivation adds to the challenge by releasing large amounts of methane. Feeding Africa’s growing appetite for ice cannot come at the cost of worsening the very climate risks that threaten communities.  

The urgency is clear: climate-smart rice solutions can reduce emissions, increase yields, and build resilience. Methane is a short-lived greenhouse gas (GHG) but potent, cutting rice-related emissions offers immediate benefits for slowing global warming compared to CO2 mitigation alone. Supporting strategies that strengthen Africa’s rice systems while advancing global climate commitments is essential to secure food, protect livelihoods, and ensure rice remains on Africa’s menu without driving the crisis further.  

AfCAP’s Rice Community of Practice – driving climate-smart rice solutions in Africa 

In 2023, the African Climate Action Partnership (AfCAP) launched the Rice Community of Practice (CoP), a collaborative platform uniting experts, institutions, and governments across Africa. By sharing knowledge, exchanging strategies, and building collective expertise, the CoP is driving low-emission, climate-resilient rice solutions that strengthen livelihoods and empower African countries to meet both local food production needs and global climate commitments.  

“The Community of Practice is hugely increasing the awareness of people into the issue of climate change to the extent that you see people are expressing, people are passionate, people have started developing roadmaps in order to combat this.” – Abubakar Halilu Girei (Rice Community of Practice Core Group Member) 

Why the Rice CoP matters – turning shared knowledge into climate-smart action 

By learning together and building on each other’s experiences, the CoP transforms shared knowledge into practical climate-smart solutions. It is more than just a network, it is a space where collaboration ensures that lessons from one country can strengthen resilience across the continent, empowering communities to reduce emissions, boost yields, and secure Africa’s rice future. 

Insights and shared learning 

AfCAP’s Rice CoP has shown the power of collaboration across Africa. By bringing countries together to share challenges and solutions, it enables innovations to be replicated, scaled, and adapted to local realities. This collective learning strengthens strategies and ensures progress is refined through shared experience. The CoP demonstrates the impact of African-led solutions, harnessing local expertise to build resilient rice systems that secure food, protect livelihoods, and withstand climate pressures for generations to come. 

“We have seen a lot of momentum from the countries due to the lessons learned and experienced shared” – Elliott Dossou-Yovo (Rice Community of Practice Core Group Member) 

Shaping Africa’s Rice Future: Hope, Action and Resilience 

AfCAP’s Rice CoP holds enormous promise for Africa’s rice sector. It is more than just a network, it empowers collaboration and knowledge sharing that turns challenges into opportunities, helping countries boost yields, cut emissions, and adapt solutions to local realities. By investing in collective learning, the CoP ensures rice cultivation becomes more productive, sustainable and inclusive.  

Watch and discover how the African Climate Action Partnership’s Rice Community of Practice unites experts, governments and stakeholders to build resilient, climate-smart rice systems in Africa: