Bridging Knowledge Gaps in Climate-Smart Agriculture: Extension, Training, and Awareness

Abstract

Climate change is becoming a growing menace to the productivity and food security of agricultural systems, and livelihoods of the rural populations, especially that of smallholder farmers who are the most vulnerable. Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) has risen to become an integrated approach in improving sustainable production, climate resiliency of production, and reducing environmental degradation. Nonetheless, the implementation of the CSA practices is obstructed by a high degree of knowledge gap, unstable access to advisory services, lack of awareness, gender differences, and socioeconomic barriers. This article reveals the importance of agricultural extension, sustained capacity-building interventions, and use of behavior-oriented awareness interventions in facilitating informed decision-making and skill-based adoption of CSA innovations. It focuses on participatory communication strategies, online advisory instruments and institutional partnership as critical ways of bridging research and frontline farming communities. The conclusion of the article is that extension, training, and awareness integrated knowledge systems are essential in enhancing the adoption of CSA faster, providing farmers with power, and achieving long-term livelihood security of agricultural development resistant to climate changes.