In Search of Effective Adaptation Strategies for Livelihoods in Africa: Insights from the Literature

Mohammed Ibrahim () and Abdul Karim Ibrahim ()
Additional contact information
Mohammed Ibrahim: The University of Manchester, Global Development Institute
Abdul Karim Ibrahim: University of Ghana, Institute of African Studies

A chapter in Climate Change in Africa, 2026, pp 515-538 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract This chapter draws on multidisciplinary theory and empirical evidence to develop a framework for guiding livelihood-focused adaptation in Africa. It addresses three questions: Why have adaptation interventions struggled to address climate risks in African communities? What theoretical insights and empirical findings shed light on effective strategies? How might these insights inform the design of more effective interventions? Findings show that adaptation effectiveness is often subjective, shaped by varying contexts, metrics, objectives, and timeframes, although consensus exists on the need for systematic progress measurement aligned with Paris Agreement goals. Critical success factors include the role of formal and informal institutions, alignment with political incentives, attention to spillover effects, and co-production with beneficiaries. Effective strategies must go beyond technocratic analysis to address political dynamics, social differentiation, and capability gaps. Such approaches can enhance agency, promote long-term resilience, and better equip African communities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate shocks.

Keywords: Climate adaptation framework; Livelihood; Capabilities; Distributive politics; Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:aaechp:978-3-032-15259-6_19

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/9783032152596

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-15259-6_19

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().