9 September, 2025
By José Ángel Carrillo, agronomist engineer at Incatema, specialist in New Technologies and Agroindustrial Digital Transformation.
On September 9, the world celebrates World Agriculture Day, a day dedicated to recognising the essential work of those who cultivate the land and to reflecting on the challenges facing this vital sector. Today, one of the most pressing challenges is the climate crisis, which threatens global food security and calls for a renewed focus on adaptive agriculture and climate resilience. In this context, Africa emerges as a continent where the need for these practices is more than evident. Incatema, with more than 25 years of experience working on the continent, can attest to this.
Africa: epicentre of structural and climatic vulnerability
In sub-Saharan Africa, where agriculture is the livelihood of more than 60% of the rural population, climate change has intensified the risks faced by production systems. Angola and Cameroon, two countries with diverse ecosystems and vulnerable agricultural economies, are on the front lines of the battle against prolonged droughts, devastating floods and extreme weather events that threaten food security and rural development.
The FAO has documented how African agricultural systems are particularly sensitive to climatic variations, due to their dependence on rainfall patterns, poor irrigation infrastructure and limited institutional response capacity:
• In Angola, 81% of disasters recorded between 1977 and 2017 are related to extreme hydrometeorological events such as droughts and floods.
• In Cameroon, the Sahel and Adamaoua regions are facing increasing desertification and soil erosion, seriously affecting livestock and agricultural production.
Adaptation strategies: from the local to the institutional
Climate resilience requires a profound transformation of agricultural systems. The FAO and the World Bank have proposed frameworks for action that include:
• Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA): an approach that seeks to increase productivity, strengthen resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Proactive drought risk assessment: the World Bank promotes investments in water infrastructure, agricultural insurance and early warning systems.
• Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA): Angola has implemented projects funded by the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) that promote ecosystem restoration and sustainable watershed management.
Field applied resilience
In this context, the technical assistance that companies such as Incatema, which has developed key projects that exemplify the practical application of these strategies in Angola and Cameroon, among other countries, is essential.
In Angola, Incatema leads the Agricultural Value Chain Development Project in Cabinda, financed by the African Development Bank. This project includes the conditioning of 250 hectares for pivot irrigation and the rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage systems on another 500 hectares. In addition, greenhouses will be installed to ensure year-round fruit and vegetable production, contributing to food security and economic diversification in a province that is highly dependent on oil. Angola, in addition, has approved the National Climate Change Strategy 2018-2030, which seeks to integrate adaptation into all strategic sectors.
In Cameroon, Incatema is implementing a major agroforestry project in the Adamaoua, as an example of its commitment to resilient agriculture in Africa, promoting efficient and sustainable agroforestry systems, and strengthening local capacities through technical training and technology transfer. Cameroon, for its part, has participated in FAO initiatives to strengthen the resilience of pastoral and agricultural systems in semi-arid areas.a
Towards resilient and inclusive agriculture
The World Agriculture Day is an opportunity to celebrate progress, but also to acknowledge the long road ahead.
Climate resilience in Africa is not only a technical issue, but also a political and social one. It involves recognising the central role of farmers, especially smallholders, in building sustainable food systems. Angola and Cameroon have the local knowledge, natural resources and international backing to lead this transformation. What is needed is political will, strategic investment and a long-term vision that places adaptation at the centre of development.