ClimateAi and NEC • August 19th, 2025.
ClimateAi, in collaboration with NEC, has developed a conceptual model to estimate the effectiveness of climate change adaptation measures for cocoa and rice cultivation in Africa. ClimateAi’s long-term climate forecasting technology, which models both the impact of climatic factors on agricultural production and the effectiveness of adaptation measures, was combined with NEC’s expertise in agricultural technology to quantify the impact of climate change on agriculture and clarify the return on investment for adaptation strategies.
This achievement will be showcased at the TICAD Business Expo & Conference, one of the thematic events of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), to be held in Yokohama, Japan, in August 2025.
Globally, greenhouse gas reductions and carbon credit trading are advancing, yet adaptation measures to prevent or reduce climate damage have lagged. A key barrier has been the difficulty of assessing the cost-effectiveness of investments such as irrigation facilities or changes in crop varieties.
Agriculture, one of the industries most vulnerable to climate change, has lacked reliable ways to estimate the return on adaptation. NEC and ClimateAi’s model addresses this by analyzing climatic and agricultural factors using AI to calculate the economic value of adaptation measures. This enables governments, organizations, and businesses to implement strategies where benefits are expected, supporting agriculture more efficiently and sustainably.
The conceptual model was applied to cocoa and rice cultivation across Africa, where agriculture is a vital industry and cocoa is a leading export crop. Three key adaptation measures were analyzed:
The model quantifies how these strategies affect yields and economic value under changing climate conditions. Results can also be tested through interactive demonstrations. Potential users include international organizations and development banks, which could apply the model to assess farmland suitability and estimate the benefits of adaptation projects.
The application of AI made it possible to analyze the cost-effectiveness of irrigation and variety changes in rice cultivation and to identify effective adaptation strategies for cocoa. The ability to measure returns on adaptation creates new opportunities to mobilize both public and private investment in agricultural resilience.
The model can also support wider business applications:
The results of this initiative will be announced at TICAD 9 and other events, with further market feedback helping advance commercialization. NEC and ClimateAi will continue to assess climate impacts on agriculture and develop solutions that strengthen sustainable agriculture and food security.
NEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of “Orchestrating a brighter world.” NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC.
ClimateAi is a climate adaptation and resilience platform purpose-built for the agriculture, food, and consumer goods sectors. It combines AI-powered weather modeling with phenological and water-scarcity data to deliver highly localized, crop-specific agricultural impact insights across the short, medium, and long term. With deep expertise in climate–agriculture interactions and a client base that spans agricultural and consumer-goods multinationals as well as agricultural investors, ClimateAi turns complex climate data into actionable insights. For more information, visit ClimateAi