A Systematic Review of Climate-Smart Agriculture's Role in Household Nutrition and Health Shock Resilience in Ethiopia: An African Perspective, 2021–2026

This systematic literature review examines the nexus between climate change, agricultural practices, and public health in Ethiopia. It synthesises evidence from 2021 to 2026 on how Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) interventions influence household dietary diversity and resilience to health shocks. The methodology followed PRISMA guidelines, with systematic searches conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and African Journals Online. Included peer-reviewed studies assessed CSA practices—such as drought-resistant crops, agroforestry, and soil conservation—against nutritional outcomes or health shock mitigation in Ethiopian households.

The evidence synthesis indicates that CSA adoption is consistently associated with improved food security and more diverse diets, largely mediated by increased crop yields and income stability. Several studies further suggest these benefits indirectly bolster household resilience by enhancing capacity to absorb health-related financial shocks. However, the evidence directly linking CSA to measurable health outcomes remains limited and emergent. Significant heterogeneity in intervention design and outcome measurement constrains definitive conclusions.

The review argues that integrating CSA into national agricultural and health policy offers a promising strategy for achieving co-benefits for nutrition and health system resilience within the African context. It underscores the necessity for future interdisciplinary research employing robust, longitudinal designs to quantify CSA's direct impacts on health shock recovery in Ethiopia and similar settings.