Mapping climate change adaptation scholarship in smallholder farming systems across Sub-Saharan Africa: A bibliometric analysis

Bonamax Mbasa; Christopher Mdoe; Kulwa Mang’ana

doi:10.51867/AQSSR.3.1.32

Authors

Bonamax Mbasa Institute of Rural Development Planning (IRDP), Lake Zone Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania Author https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8072-6408
Christopher Mdoe Institute of Rural Development Planning (IRDP), Lake Zone Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8430-4698
Kulwa Mang’ana Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Arusha, Tanzania Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2319-080X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51867/AQSSR.3.1.32

Keywords:

Bibliometric Analysis, Climate Change Adaptation, Research Capacity, Smallholder Farmers, Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

This study presents a bibliometric analysis of climate change adaptation research in smallholder farming systems across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) between 2015 and early 2025. Anchored in the knowledge production systems perspective, which conceptualizes scientific research as shaped by institutional structures, funding architectures, and collaboration networks, the study examines how adaptation scholarship in SSA has evolved within the broader research ecosystem. Drawing on peer-reviewed journal articles indexed in the Scopus database, the analysis examines temporal publication trends, thematic priorities, disciplinary distribution, geographic representation, institutional collaboration networks, and funding structures. A total of 31 Scopus-indexed peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using Bibliometrix and VOSviewer. The findings indicate a gradual increase in scholarly output, particularly after 2019, reflecting growing international attention to climate-resilient agriculture. However, the indexed literature remains modest in volume and exhibits pronounced structural imbalances. Research is concentrated in agricultural and environmental sciences, with comparatively limited social science integration. Geographic representation is concentrated in a small number of countries, particularly Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and Ghana, while parts of Central and West Africa remain underrepresented. Institutional collaboration networks are similarly concentrated, and funding support is predominantly sourced from international donors. Keyword evolution reveals continued emphasis on climate-smart agriculture and food security, alongside emerging attention to participatory approaches and digital agriculture. Overall, the analysis suggests that adaptation scholarship in SSA’s smallholder systems is shaped not only by thematic priorities but also by structural factors related to research visibility, funding architecture, and institutional capacity. The study highlights the need for broader disciplinary integration, improved geographic equity, diversified institutional participation, and strengthened domestic research investment to enhance inclusive and context-responsive climate adaptation research in the region.

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