There are large yield gaps in the mixed smallholder farming systems of Africa, with limited opportunities to sustainably increase productivity and adapt to climate change. In this study, the potential of selected measures to meet this challenge is assessed using a positive mathematical programming (PMP) model which captures decision making at the farm level for a sample population in Northern Burkina Faso for the 2010 to 2045 simulation period. The annual profit losses from the “middle of the road” RCP6 trajectory of climate change were estimated to reach 15% by 2045. A smart package of measures increased aggregate profit, although not by nearly enough to claw back the losses from climate change. The results suggest that extension programs should have the flexibility to apply measures individually or as a package.

Henderson, B., Cacho, O., Thornton, P., van Wijk, M., & Herrero, M. (2018). The economic potential of residue management and fertilizer use to address climate change impacts on mixed smallholder farmers in Burkina Faso. Agricultural Systems, 167, 195-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2018.09.012.