The severity of the climate challenge requires a change in the climate response, from an incremental to a more far-reaching and radical transformative one. There is also a need to avoid maladaptation whereby responses to climate risk inadvertently reinforce vulnerability, exposure and risk for some sections of society. Innovative technological interventions are critical but enabling social, institutional and governance factors are the actual drivers of the transformative process. Bringing about this transformation requires inter- and transdisciplinary approaches, and the embracing of social equity. In this Perspective, we unpack what this means for agricultural research and, based on our collective experience, we map out a research agenda that weaves different research components into a holistic and transformative one. We do not offer best practice, but rather reflections on how agricultural research can more readily contribute to transformative adaptation, along with the personal and practical challenges of designing and implementing such an agenda.

ArticleLow adoption of sustainable intensification technologies hinders achievement of their potential impacts on increasing agricultural productivity. Proper targeting of locations to scale-out particular technologies is a key determinant of the rate of adoption. Targeting locations with similar biophysical and socio-economic characteristics significantly increases the probability of adoption. Areas with similar biophysical and socio-economic characteristics are referred to as recommendation domains (RDs). This study used geospatial analysis to delineate sustainable recommendation domains (SRDs) for scaling improved crop varieties and good agronomic practices in Tanzania. The study uses K-means clustering to identify relatively similar clusters from grid raster’s representing biophysical and socio-economic environments. Critical ecosystems are masked-out from the clusters to generate the SRDs. The potential impacts of scaling technologies in the generated SRDs were assessed and a spatial targeting index developed. Results identify 20 SRDs and the bio-socio-economic gradients that delineate them. This study proposes an Impact Based Spatial Targeting Index (IBSTI) as an objective tool for priority setting when scaling agricultural technologies. IBSTI identified priority areas within each SRD that should be targeted to maximize potential impacts of a scaling intervention. The data-driven clustering method is recommended for regions with limited technology trials. Results demonstrate the potential of geospatial tools in generating evidence-based policies on scaling of sustainable intensification technologies.IFPRI3; ISIEPTDP

Understanding and quantifying above-ground carbon stock is critical for assessing the impact of land use choices on carbon emissions which can inform conservation and management strategies to protect and increase carbon stocks. This study introduces a novel methodology for evaluating above-ground carbon storage and sequestration in the Thoria watershed, India, using time-series open-access remotely sensed datasets and the InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Environmental Services and Tradeoffs) carbon model. Our spatially explicit analysis examines land cover and land use changes over the past 20 years. Using high-resolution NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) data from Sentinel satellites, we disaggregate land cover types into high and low NDVI classes, which allows enhanced assessment of carbon stocks by capturing the spatial variation within the same land cover types. To assess the potential impacts of land cover changes on carbon stock, we generated two future scenarios suggested by local experts: a 20% expansion of cropland and a 20% expansion of wooded land. Using a proximity-based approach, we create these future land use maps and estimate the corresponding carbon stock with the InVEST carbon model. We demonstrate the utility of the methodology in informing land use decisions through spatially explicitly assessing how carbon stock changes in response to cropland expansion and wooded land growth. Our findings indicate that while urban development contributes to carbon losses, increasing wooded land and tree cover helps mitigate these losses, highlighting the importance of afforestation in maintaining ecological balance and reducing environmental impact.