Evolution of climate-smart agriculture research: A science mapping exploration and network analysis

The integrated approach of bibliometric mapping and literature review was adopted to critically examine the evolution of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) research climate from 2012 to 2023 using publications data recovered from the Elsevier Scopus database. The publication trends, stakeholder profiles, social networks, and thematic area analysis on CSA research were examined. Findings revealed that the publication trends on CSA research revealed an incremental pattern from 2012 to 2023. Stakeholder profile analysis identified numerous authors, affiliations, and countries actively engaged in CSA research. The most prolific researcher is Mangi L. Jat, whereas Wageningen University & Research is the most prolific affiliation. Finally, the United States is the most prolific nation. Stakeholder’s productivity was ascribed to a combination of factors ranging from access to research funding to collaborations. The most active funder of CSA research is CGIAR (Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centres), which has funded 52 publications, gained 1,529 citations, and an h-index of 20. The CGIAR has greatly supported the works of highly prolific authors such as Mangi L. Jat, Hanuman S. Jat, and Suresh K. Kakraliya. Social network analysis revealed strong, active, and extensive links, particularly between nations such as the US, India, Kenya, and Ethiopia. The cluster and thematic area analyses of the CSA research landscape revealed three areas, namely, Climate-Resilient Agricultural Adoption, Climate-Responsive Agricultural Practices, and Integrated Food Systems, which are the current focus of stakeholders in the field. Overall, the study showed that CSA is a broad and interdisciplinary topic with a significant impact on the social, economic, and environmental aspects of humanity and societies across the globe.