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At the ANAPRI Stakeholders Conference, the fifth session facilitated by George Njuguna from the Sustainable Agriculture Foundation Africa explored the African Agriculture Adaptation Atlas, a decision support tool that translates complex climate data into clear guidance for policy and investment.
A live demonstration was conducted by Brayden Youngberg of Alliance Biodiversity International – CIAT, who walked participants through the rationale behind developing the Atlas. Fragmented, large, and technically complex climate datasets have long hindered effective planning. By harmonising these data sources and converting them into simplified insights, the Atlas enables users who are not technical experts to communicate climate insights. Its interactive, story-driven, and open-source design makes it accessible, customisable, and continuously expanding.
From the funder’s perspective, Alan Rennison of the Gates Foundation emphasised that the Atlas provides a unified platform for climate adaptation planning that aligns with Africa’s diverse ecological zones, soil types and crop systems. He also highlighted the importance of strong public sector support in targeting limited resources and integrating the Atlas with tools such as the Policy Prioritisation through Value Chain Analysis (PPVC) and the Policy Optimisation Tool (PolOpT) to support strategic decision making.
The effectiveness of the Adaptation Atlas was illustrated through insights shared by its test partners. Speaking for the ANAPRI centres, Thinah Moyo explained that the Atlas strengthened gender-responsive policy analysis by revealing where women face heightened climate risks, enabling more targeted adaptation investments and informing strategies at local, national, and subnational levels. The user-centred design process also helped each test centre assess how gender data translates into real decision-making, while hands-on training and community engagement allowed them to evaluate the tool’s practical usefulness and provide feedback to refine its functionality.
Country experiences further demonstrated the Atlas’s growing influence. Telvin Denje from the African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES) noted that Ghana, Kenya, and Ethiopia have already used it to develop climate finance concept notes, several of which have been submitted to funding institutions. In Botswana, local authorities have applied the tool to strengthen adaptation planning. Josphat Makanga of Kenya’s Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) described how the Atlas links county development plans with national policies and community priorities, supported by extensive capacity building across thirty-eight counties. This work has produced seasonal agricultural bulletins and gender-sensitive climate analyses that now inform feasibility studies and guide inclusive, resilient investment decisions.
Bereket Fitsum from the Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) explained how the Atlas is being customised for Ethiopia by integrating local languages, crops, and other context-specific features. ATI has also trained users on how to navigate the platform, emphasising that the system’s effectiveness depends heavily on the quality of the data supplied.
Government representatives in a second panel offered recommendations for strengthening the impact of the Atlas. Doshanie Kadokera from Malawi stated that the Atlas has significantly helped to highlight climate risks in areas where studies were conducted. It has also served as evidence for the government to identify vulnerable areas and operationalise financial strategies. Longino Chrisante from Tanzania explained that the tool has been useful in providing economic returns data for agriculture which is usually presented to donors. The platform also convenes stakeholders on a shared interface that can inform training and capacity building. Chantal Ingabire from Rwanda noted that the Atlas provided data for farmers that helped them predict and make decisions on critical matters. Lily Chebet Kiptoo from Kenya shared their aspirations to use the Atlas for exploration of the edible oil value chain, noting that the tool can provide information across interconnected sectors. They are also optimistic about how it will support local empowerment and stakeholder engagement.
The session closed with a clear and unifying message, underscoring the Atlas’s emerging role as a pivotal tool that links data, policy, and local action in practical and meaningful ways. By enabling evidence-based, gender-responsive, and well-coordinated climate adaptation planning, it equips governments, communities, and development partners to make informed choices that reinforce resilience, promote inclusion, and advance Africa’s pathway towards climate-smart agricultural transformation.
Watch the full recorded session here.