TOKYO / Japan, 19 August 2025: NEC Corporation (TSE: 6701), in collaboration with ClimateAi, a San Francisco-based climate resilience platform, has developed a conceptual model to evaluate the effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) of climate change adaptation measures in agriculture.
The initiative focuses on cocoa and rice cultivation in Africa, two critical crops for food security and rural livelihoods.
The model combines ClimateAi’s long-term forecasting technology with NEC’s agritech expertise, enabling the quantification of climate risks and the economic value of adaptation strategies. The achievement will be showcased at the TICAD Business Expo & Conference (Japan Fair), a thematic event of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama.
Background and Purpose
While global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote carbon credit trading have advanced, the adoption of adaptation measures in agriculture has lagged due to challenges in assessing their cost-effectiveness. Agriculture, one of the most climate-sensitive sectors, requires tools that can accurately estimate returns on investments such as irrigation systems, climate-resilient seeds, and adjusted planting schedules.
By applying AI to simulate multiple climatic, soil, and water conditions, NEC and ClimateAi’s model provides a clearer picture of the economic feasibility of adaptation. This allows stakeholders to prioritize interventions in regions where benefits are most likely to materialize, fostering efficient and sustainable agricultural practices.
Key Adaptation Measures Analyzed
The model was applied to cocoa and rice farming in Africa, assessing the potential of three major interventions:
Introduction of irrigation facilities
Transition to climate-adapted crop varieties
Adjustments in planting schedules for traditional varieties
Interactive demonstrations of the model allow stakeholders—including governments, development banks, and international organizations—to evaluate adaptation measures, supporting more data-driven and cost-effective decision-making.
Results and Future Outlook
Preliminary analysis revealed that AI can identify high-impact strategies such as irrigation and variety switching in rice cultivation, as well as optimized adaptation for cocoa. NEC and ClimateAi envision broader applications of the system, including:
Adaptation Finance: Providing risk analysis to attract private-sector investment and enable financing from development banks.
Agritech Solutions: Supporting producers, seed companies, and processors across the agricultural supply chain with actionable adaptation strategies.
Cross-Industry Support: Extending applications to infrastructure and manufacturing supply chains affected by climate variability.
Going forward, NEC and ClimateAi plan to collaborate with providers of irrigation equipment and seeds, using their model to unlock financing for adaptation projects. Feedback from TICAD and other forums will help refine the framework toward commercialization.
A Broader Vision
NEC frames this partnership within its "The future is ours to shape" vision, part of its NEC Open Innovation program, which fosters co-creation with startups and partners worldwide. The collaboration with ClimateAi exemplifies how combining advanced technologies and cross-sector expertise can drive sustainable solutions to global challenges.
