Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) presents a promising pathway toward resilient and sustainable agricultural landscapes globally. However, persistent gender disparities pose a significant challenge to its success. Gendered structural barriers and highly context-specific social processes have a significant impact on access to and adoption and impact of CSA. There are no quick fixes or one-size-fits-all solutions.

The Evidence module of CGIAR’s GENDER platform addresses this critical need by synthesizing and generating evidence on various aspects of CSA within agrifood systems. Following an elaborate evidence architecture that included conducting a series of research activities such as evidence and gap mapping, developing a learning agenda, scoping and systematic reviews, and hotspot mapping in collaboration with leading partners, we developed a meta-synthesis that covers the critical gender issues in CSA. Building on this, it attempts to bridge the research-evidence-action gaps by offering widely accessible formats to inform gender-responsive CSA solutions.

We highlight the crucial role of an evidence-backed solutions inventory in building equitable climate solutions for agrifood systems that helps in designing context-specific multifaceted solutions to address the wicked challenge of climate change. Drawing on global evidence and experience, these types of evidence products provide the ability to use them to work locally. This can help decision-makers at all levels—including governments, donors, development practitioners, and researchers—make better decisions and targeted investments to improve the delivery of climate solutions for equitable agrifood system outcomes.