Supporting adaptation in African agriculture – A policy shift since the EU Green Deal?

Communities in sub-Saharan Africa are experiencing the most severe droughts in decades, impacting livestock and crop production. Hanne Knaepen examines whether the EU Green Deal and Global Europe, the EU’s instrument for neighbourhood, development and international cooperation, have led to increased political support for climate adaptation in African agriculture. One key finding is that the wider EU strategies towards Africa reveal a strong interest in large-scale mitigation and clean energy investments, whereas the EU’s programming documents for Africa focus on adaptation to the benefit of smallholder farmers. However, new financing instruments and partnership modalities with a strong focus on involving the private sector may eventually throw a spanner in the works.