Linking Climate Change Research to the Paris Agreement and NDCs: Evidence from Agriculture and Livestock Sectors in East Africa

Climate change is projected to have severe impacts on developing countries, including East African countries whose economies depend on climate sensitive sectors such as agriculture and livestock. While the Paris Agreement (PA) and nationally determined contributions (NDCs) emphasize both mitigation and adaptation, the extent to which East African countries align their national research agenda and policies with these frameworks remains underexplored. This study presents a systematic review aimed at analyzing the connection between regional climate research and the implementation of the PA and NDCs with a particular focus on agriculture and livestock production. A Google Scholar search conducted on March 22, 2025, identified 1,000 documents, of which 70 met the inclusion criteria. The review examines bibliometric trends and key thematic areas, including NDC commitments, geographic coverage of studies, reported climate impacts, and the alignment of adaptation and mitigation strategies with the goals of the PA. Findings reveal that climate change research in East Africa is geographically skewed, with Kenya and Tanzania accounting for most studies, while countries like Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo are significantly underrepresented. Drought, heat stress, and reduced rainfall were the most frequently reported climate indicators. Adaptation strategies commonly cited include livelihood diversification, improved livestock and crop practices, and irrigation. However, the effectiveness of these strategies is often constrained by limited institutional support and socio-economic barriers. Notably, mitigation in agriculture and livestock sectors receives limited attention, despite the sectors’ growing contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, most studies do not explicitly engage with NDC frameworks, indicating a weak science–policy interface. This review concludes that while significant research exists, it is unevenly distributed, lacks integration with policy, and pays insufficient attention to mitigation. To support effective and inclusive climate action, East African countries should strengthen institutional capacity, enhance policy-research alignment, and invest in underrepresented regions and low-carbon agricultural and livestock production systems.