The African Agriculture Adaptation Initiative (AAA Initiative) aims to reduce the vulnerability of African agriculture to climate change. It is distinguished by a pragmatic approach oriented towards the promotion of projects with high potential for the benefit of the African peoples and the financing of priority projects likely to fight against the impacts of climate change on agriculture in Africa while ensuring the food security of all the Africans.

The initiative was launched and promoted by Morocco during the COP22 summit held in Marrakesh from 7 to 18 November 2016. The AAA Initiative was welcomed by Africa Action Summit held on November 16, 2016, on the sidelines of COP 22 under the presidency of the King of Morocco Mohammed VI, who promotes an African initiative, and who said on this occasion that: "Sensitive to the vulnerability of the agricultural sector, and aware of its vital importance, Morocco is mobilizing for the realization of the initiative Adaptation of African Agriculture or Triple A". This innovative device promotes the adoption and financing of solutions for productivity and food security." In his speech the 28th Summit of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 31 January 2017, the king also stated that: "We know it: neither gas nor oil will satisfy basic food needs! But is not Africa's great challenge its food security?”

The Initiative for the Adaptation of African Agriculture to Climate Change, known as the Triple A, is an innovative and highly concrete response to the common challenges posed by climate change. The Triple A aims to raise more funding for the Adaptation of Small African Agriculture; it will also support the structuring and acceleration of agricultural projects, based on four programs: rationalized soil management; sustainable control of agricultural water; climate risk management; and the solidarity financing of small project holders.

The AAA Foundation adapts agriculture to climate change

The AAA Foundation mission will be to defend the cause of African agriculture and, particularly, that of adapting African agriculture to climate change; constitute a force of proposal to the African public authorities with a view to prioritizing projects related to the adaptation of African agriculture to climate change in their public policies; promote debate and exchange of ideas on the issue of adapting African agriculture to climate change.

The job of Triple A is also to provide assistance, advisory, expertise, assessment, audit and inspection services related to the adaptation of African agriculture to climate change and all related strategic issues; contribute, in the context of technical assistance, to the sharing of good practices and the transfer of technology, skills and knowledge in the field of adaptation of African agriculture to climate change.

The AAA Foundation will work to facilitate access for African agriculture adaptation project holders to climate change for investors, development partners, donors; assist project promoters in setting up and submitting their projects to investors; promote bilateral, regional and international cooperation among African authorities; and foster the emergence of coalitions and strategic partnerships.

Triple A challenges

Triple A is a major response to the challenges facing African agriculture; this initiative is a solution to the fight against climate change. 2018 was the year of the implementation of this initiative, which has been supported by the World Bank Group, the French Development Agency and the German Government.

Triple A is essential to make Africa, Agriculture, and Adaptation priorities in order to combat climate change because 6 of the 10 countries most threatened by climate change are located in Africa. The African continent is only responsible for 4% of greenhouse gas emissions, by 2050, and the agricultural production must grow twofold in order to feed the 9 billion human beings on the planet; 65%mof the world's arable land is in Africa. By 2050, agricultural yields in Africa could decrease by 20%, if agriculture does not adapt to climate change. Africa only attracts 5% of the climate funds, 4% of the funds are allocated to agriculture and 20% to adaptation projects.

Indeed, this is the real challenge of Triple A and all African agrarian policies. Today, African agriculture is mobilizing a lot of billions. It must then be ensured that these figures can reach small farmers. Because they are the first to be confronted with the realities of agriculture, the success of Triple A will depend on it.

AAA initiative is addressing the challenges of poverty and food security requires strengthening the adaptation of African agriculture to climate change, with a view to reducing the agricultural gap between the countries of the continent. The African nations are urged to act urgently given the many threats to the future of food security in the continent, in this case, rising temperatures and declining rainfall.

Involve small farmers for Triple A success

For the moment, no financial institution has announced specific amounts devoted to the achievement of the Triple A objectives, but for these donors, this initiative is a precious helping hand to make their financing on the continent profitable. In this regard, the African Development Bank (AfDB) mobilizes annually some $ 2.4 billion to finance African agriculture, which is among its top 5 priorities. However, it remains to be seen whether the African private agricultural sector is fully involved in this initiative; same for small farmers.

Any delay in the adaptation of African agriculture will expose the countries of the continent to the risk of overexploitation of water resources, because of declining profitability of agricultural land and the spread of epidemics and diseases, among others. In this regard, a series of solutions, namely the rational use of water resources, the capacity building of institutions in charge of water management, and the encouragement of sustainable urban development, in addition to the genetic modification of water resources and agricultural products.

The initiative is not only a key response to climate change, but also to food insecurity. Its aim is to put Adaptation of African Agriculture at the heart of climate debates and negotiations. In its solutions section, it also aims to contribute to the deployment of concrete agricultural projects.