This report include an examination of three commodity supply/value chains that are grown in four African states besides Pakistan and Bangladesh. The document focuses particularly on current trends in the value chains and considering whether they will face challenges due to physical climate effects under a range of scenarios.

The paper finds that many of the current coffee, tea and cotton-growing regions in the examined countries are already suffering from more severe and frequently occurring extreme weather events. These have severe consequences, not only for farmers, but for all actors in the respective commodity value chains. Yet, the author states that further statistical analysis is needed to draw definitive conclusions on the quantitative impact of climate change on volumes.

Recommendations comprise:

setting up multi stakeholder sustainable task forces (STFs) in the coffee, tea and cotton sectors, under the auspices and hosting of government agricultural ministries
training of stakeholders in climate resilient value chain strategies, including conservation and organic farming techniques and furrow and drip irrigation methods, and crop diversification as well as non-farm rural enterprises
cooperation and assistance to private sector led and facilitated certification of standards schemes for export commodities; this would help the private sector to invest in making the value chain more climate resilient