Climate change mitigation policies in agrifood systems: a scoping review of effectiveness, accessibility, adoption, and sustainability among underserved farmers

Abstract Climate change is a pressing challenge, increasingly threatening global agrifood systems, especially in vulnerable agricultural regions. There is a critical need to assess how mitigation policies deliver measurable benefits to underserved farmers. In this light, this scoping review examines the effectiveness, accessibility, adoption, sustainability, and institutional support of climate change mitigation policies, focusing mainly on underserved populations. This review synthesizes empirical evidence on mitigation policy outcomes for underserved farmers, highlighting barriers such as educational and technological literacy. Among 1659 articles identified, 15 studies were included, examining interventions like weather-index insurance, climate-smart agriculture, and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Plus across diverse global contexts. In the studies examined, policies show potential in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing agricultural resilience, among other benefits. Their adoption remains limited due to weak dissemination strategies, low literacy levels, and institutional shortcomings. However, programs that integrated community training, participatory planning, and strong institutional support demonstrated significantly higher uptake and sustainability. Notably, studies from the Global South highlighted persistent challenges such as poor policy visibility and digital exclusion, underscoring the urgent need for inclusive, stakeholder-driven approaches, multilevel coordination, and long-term impact evaluations to strengthen climate resilience in agriculture.