2. Material and methods
2.1. Methodology
The paper proposes an innovative approach in which two different methodologies are combined:
(i) ex-ante estimation of the mitigation potential of cli-mate-smart agriculture (CSA) investments using different land use scenarios and baseline emissions levels; and
(ii) identification of the most efficient solution by estimating the marginal abatement costs (MAC) of available options.
Even if the methodologies have been already developed elsewhere, as thoroughly described in what follows, they have been applied together for the first time in the present paper. A two-phase analytical methodology has in fact been adopted here: the unitary abatement potential of CSA technologies estimated through the first phase will represent the basis for computing the MAC curves in the second methodological step. A second element of innovativeness of the present work is represented by its application to national agriculture investment plans which highlight policy priority areas for the development of African countries. Since such plans are developed and reviewed systematically, several perspectives for future wider application of the proposed methodology exist.