ACE4ES Project Gains Insights at International Climate Conference
The Agroecology and Circular Economy for Ecosystem Services (ACE4ES) project promotes sustainable agriculture across Sub-Saharan Africa by contributing to reducing agricultural emissions, particularly methane, nitrous oxide and black carbon, enhancing soil health, and boosting ecosystem resilience. Funded by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, ACE4ES is led by CSIR-Crops Research Institute (Ghana), collaborating with consortium members including Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana; Hill Trust Foundation of Nigeria; Youth Initiative for Land in Africa of Benin, and Tanzania organic agriculture movement, alongside international partners, universities, and regional research organizations.
As part of global activities for the year, Dr. Kwaku Onwona-Hwesofour Asante from the CSIR-Crops Research Institute represented the ACE4ES Consortium at the Climate and Clean Air Conference 2025, held from March 16–21 in Brasília, Brazil. The conference offered critical lessons and key takeaways focused on scaling the ACE4ES project’s ambition in mitigating agriculture-driven climate pollutants across Africa.
Key Lessons
1. Methane Management from Livestock and Biomass: The conference discussions underscored the urgency of tackling methane emissions, particularly from livestock systems and agricultural biomass management. Key solutions highlighted include improved animal nutrition, the adoption of biodigesters for manure management, and transforming agricultural waste into valuable bioenergy, thereby reducing emissions and creating economic benefits for African farmers.
2. Reducing Black Carbon through Circular Economy: Participants emphasized that converting agricultural biomass waste into beneficial products—such as biochar, activated charcoal, and renewable energy—provides an effective pathway to significantly reduce black carbon emissions from biomass burning. These circular economy interventions have notable potential for application across ACE4ES partner countries in Africa.
3. Nitrous Oxide Emission Reductions via Improved Fertilizer Use: Enhanced practices for managing nitrous oxide emissions, including precision agriculture, organic fertilizer adoption, and increased nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), were identified as pivotal for African agriculture systems. Integrating these practices can substantially lower emissions while improving agricultural productivity.
4. Robust MRV Systems are Essential: A consistent message from the conference was the importance of implementing strong Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems tailored to local contexts. Strengthening MRV capacities in African countries will support credible emissions tracking, attract international climate finance, and enhance overall transparency.
5. Financial Innovations and Access: The conference highlighted innovative financing strategies such as carbon markets, blended finance models, and repurposed agricultural subsidies. These financial tools are crucial for enabling smallholder farmers in Africa to adopt and sustain climate-smart practices.
6. Strengthening South-South Collaboration: Insights from successful South-South cooperation initiatives were shared, demonstrating the effectiveness of cross-country knowledge exchange for rapid implementation of sustainable agricultural solutions. Expanding South-South cooperation will be instrumental for the ACE4ES Consortium’s efforts to scale proven mitigation strategies across Africa.
7. Effective Inter-Ministerial Coordination: Strong advocacy for integrated policy frameworks and inter-ministerial coordination between agriculture and environment ministries emerged as critical for achieving effective climate action. Enhanced coordination mechanisms will improve national policy coherence and mobilize climate finance for agriculture in ACE4ES partner countries.
Moving Forward: Guided by these key lessons from the Climate and Clean Air Conference 2025, ACE4ES consortium is poised to deepen its impact across Africa. The consortium will apply these insights to strengthen emission reductions efforts already ongoing as part of the project’s implementation arrangements, improve rural livelihoods, and enhance ecosystem resilience.
