This paper presents recent experiences of country level implementation of climate smart agriculture (CSA) to identify some key lessons to incorporate into ongoing CSA activities in developing countries. It stresses that different mitigation and adaptation options at the farm level need to be prioritised, noting that coordination is required across the private sector, the financial sector, government bodies and research institutions. The paper highlights the need for CSA strategies to consider innovative approaches to social safety nets to reinforce local resilience, support livelihood diversification strategies and strengthen people’s coping strategies. Moreover, it notes that adopting CSA options implies a need for increased investments at the farm level: policy instruments that change incentives and build farmer capacity to change their production systems will be central to impacting livelihoods and adapting to climate change. Examples are presented from Malawi, Zambia and Vietnam.