Press and News New climate data toolkit for agroecology developed with African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, backed by McKnight Foundation

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT is developing a new climate data toolkit with the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), with support from the McKnight Foundation (a Minnesota-based family foundation that prioritizes investments in global collaboration for resilient food systems), that will enable researchers to analyze climate risks to better understand how farming systems respond to stress and shocks, focusing on agroecological practices.

Farmers worldwide are at the frontlines of climate change, facing erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and increasingly unpredictable seasons. Agroecology is the practice of applying ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of sustainable agriculture and food systems. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), it is an approach that seeks to optimize interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment while also addressing the need for socially equitable food systems, where people can exercise choice over what they eat and how and where it is produced.

While agroecological practices hold promise in building resilience, researchers and policymakers struggle with the critical question of how to quantify the agroecological impacts, leading the McKnight Foundation to support this ambitious project to enhance the integration of climate data into agroecological research. The project will equip researchers and practitioners with robust, user-friendly tools to assess how agroecological systems respond to climate related stresses and shocks, ultimately strengthening the evidence base for climate adaptation. 

The implications stretch far beyond agroecology. By embedding climate data into agricultural research, the project will help inform better policies, refine adaptation strategies, and support farmers in making data-informed decisions that enhance their resilience.

Agroecological practices have the potential to enhance biodiversity and resilience in farming systems, but researchers and policymakers often struggle to quantify their climate adaptation benefits. This project aims to bridge that gap by developing a climate data toolkit.

However, this toolkit is not just for agroecology, but is designed to benefit all agricultural research by adding the climate context to outcomes data. The tool will help researchers determine when climatic stresses and shocks are about to occur or have occurred. Based on this data, experts and practitioners can design technologies that help to avert or adapt farming strategies including vulnerability mapping to identify areas that are most vulnerable to climate change impact for targeted interventions. By linking climate events with research outcomes, users will be able to assess whether certain practices confer greater resilience or productivity advantages under challenging climatic conditions. The data will be fundamental in supporting evidence-based policy formulation for climate action.

• A climate data toolkit: A suite of tools that streamline climate data access, processing, and analysis for agroecological and agricultural research- Not just another data platform but a useful, intuitive resource that meets real-world needs.
• A case study using the Evidence for Resilient Agriculture dataset: Applying the toolkit to assess the climate adaptation potential of diversified farming systems. 
• A scientific meta-analysis: A synthesis of evidence on how different farming strategies respond to climate variability, culminating in a peer-reviewed publication. 
• Training and capacity building: Engaging with the McKnight AE Hubs and the wider research community through hands-on training sessions and workshops. 

The project is grounded in co-development and user engagement. Researchers, agroecology practitioners, and climate data specialists will work together to refine the toolkit, ensuring it is practical, scalable, and tailored to real-world needs.

A key partner in this project is the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), which will play a major role in the development of the toolkit. AIMS’s expertise in data sciences and user-centered tools development will help ensure accessibility and adaptability of the toolkit for a broad range of agricultural researchers.

Beyond this partnership, the project will leverage synergies with bilateral projects and the new research programs of CGIAR, the world’s largest partnership for a food secure future. The toolkit will be integrated into global climate adaptation and agricultural research efforts, to ensure its long-term relevance and utility for a diverse range of users, from field researchers to policymakers. This project will work closely with the McKnight Agroecology Hubs in West Africa, East Africa and the Andes, ensuring that the toolkit is aligned with local research needs and accessible to agroecological researchers working on the ground. In early 2026, training courses will be delivered to the hubs, equipping researchers with the skills and tools needed to integrate climate data into their work. This direct engagement will provide critical feedback to improve the toolkit.

While the project focuses on the McKnight-supported agroecological research, its impacts extend far beyond. By engaging with global agricultural and climate adaptation research communities, it aims to make climate risk analysis a fundamental component of agricultural research worldwide. Integrating climate data into research outcomes will not only strengthen evidence-based policymaking but also help shape more effective climate adaptation strategies.