Africa Carbon Flagship Program : Leveraging carbon for human development

Carbon sequestration in agricultural and natural landscapes is a key strategy for climate mitigation and climate-smart development in Africa, yet the potential for generating credible carbon credits and informing climate policy remains underutilized. The Africa Carbon Flagship Program leverages carbon for human development and advances Africa-led carbon science through applied research across diverse landscapes and value chains. The analysis draws on ongoing climate action projects in Morocco, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, examining how land-use change, management practices, and value-chain interventions influence soil carbon dynamics and policy-relevant outcomes. In Morocco, three complementary interventions will be examined: agroforestry development in the argan region, biomass valorization of palm waste in oasis systems, and ecosystem restoration and rehabilitation in the High Atlas Mountains, providing insights into carbon and soil organic matter (SOM) responses across arid and semi-arid environments. In Zimbabwe, research will focus on agrivoltaic systems combining renewable energy, indigenous crops, and innovative cropping practices to enhance rural resilience, while evaluating implications for soil carbon sequestration. Across all sites, SOM quantity and quality will be assessed in relation to land-use transitions, climate stress, and soil degradation. In Uganda, value chain analysis in smallholder coffee systems assesses how agroforestry integration and soil management practices affect soil organic carbon accumulation, productivity, and alignment with emerging carbon credit mechanisms. By linking biophysical soil carbon outcomes with agricultural value chains, carbon finance, and climate policy frameworks, the Africa Carbon Flagship Program generates evidence to balance sustainable land management with mitigation objectives.