FAO at COP29: Calling for investment in agrifood systems to tackle the climate crisis

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) brought a critical message to the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan: increased investment in agrifood systems is essential to address the climate crisis.

Over the two weeks of the international meeting and through events, initiatives and several publications, FAO emphasized that agrifood systems hold the solutions to tackling major interlinked challenges facing people and the planet, including climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, food insecurity, and poverty.

“The Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals are beyond reach without agrifood systems transformation”, underscored FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, the head of the FAO delegation to COP29.

The Finance COP

This COP, dubbed the "climate finance COP," saw nations grappling with the establishment of a new global climate finance target (NCQG) to replace the expiring $100 billion goal. The final outcome acknowledged the need for vastly increased investments even if it did not lock in the full investments that will likely be needed. Aligning with this, FAO’s presence and inputs at COP29 focused not just on the quantity of finance, but also on where that finance needs to be directed to have the greatest climate impact.

Over a series of high-level events and bilateral meetings with world leaders and UN representatives, QU Dongyu and FAO experts called for increased investment in agrifood systems transformation, emphasizing the need for these systems to be prioritized in multilateral environmental agreements and fully integrated into national planning processes.

During the World Leaders Summit, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu was a prominent voice, advocating for the importance of investing in agrifood systems in addressing climate change.  

At an event where panelists discussed the importance of Green Climate Fund (GCF) investments to support adaptation in vulnerable and fragile contexts, Qu stressed the urgent need for increased financing and investment. He highlighted examples of recently approved GCF projects in Iraq and Somalia led by FAO, emphasizing the need to support fragile and conflict-affected countries where the impacts of climate change are most severe.  

In a High-level Party event, Qu highlighted the alarming rise in global hunger, exacerbated by conflict, climate change, and economic crises, and called for greater investment in adaptation and resilience-building in these vulnerable regions.  He urged countries to integrate agrifood systems into their national climate plans and prioritize them in multilateral environmental agreements, ensuring that Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) reflect the full potential of climate action in this sector.

In support of the Director General’s messaging, FAO highlighted The triple gap in finance for agrifood systems, a new FAO report produced in collaboration with the ClimateShot Investor Coalition. The report revealed a significant funding gap in the sector, requiring $1.1 trillion annually to align with climate goals. This figure dwarfs current investment levels and highlights the need for increased financing to transition to sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.

Similarly, a complementary FAO analysis on climate-related development finance to agrifood systems revealed an increase in climate-related development finance allocated to these systems in 2022, reaching $29 billion. While this marks a recovery from previous years, the report explains that current finance levels are still insufficient to drive the necessary transformation of the sector for climate resilience and sustainable development. 

Elevating agrifood systems on the agenda

FAO highlighted the urgent need to scale up the implementation and uptake of agrifood system solutions by enabling policies, innovation, and technologies and ensuring these solutions reach smallholder farmers and producers.

In this context, the Organization worked closely with the COP29 Presidency and other member countries to prioritize agrifood systems in their action agenda. This included a comprehensive program on November 19th, designated as Food, Agriculture and Water Day, and the launch of the Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers.

The Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers aims to help farmers navigate the numerous initiatives and programs dedicated to supporting climate-resilient agrifood systems transformation. The initiative will serve as an aggregator, bringing together various initiatives, coalitions, networks, and partnerships to empower farmers, villages, and rural communities, fostering collaboration and maximizing impact. FAO, the COP29 Presidency and the Ministry of Agriculture signed an agreement to carry Harmoniya forward through the FAST Partnership.

The FAST Partnership also convened at COP29. The Ministerial meeting highlighted the need for increased financial support for vulnerable farmers and emphasized the importance of collaborative initiatives like Harmoniya. The event also served as a platform for countries and organizations to announce new commitments and partnerships aimed at strengthening agrifood systems in the face of climate change.

Kaveh Zahedi, Director of the FAO Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, moderated the high-level meeting. He expressed concerns about the “downward trajectory” of finance allocated to the food and agriculture sector. He commended FAO’s in-country support programmes such as SCALA, and the Organization's role in supporting countries to access funds from the Global Enviromental Facility (GEF) and the GCF. Zahedi also underscored that global coordination platforms such as the FAST Partnership and Harmoniya are all geared towards supporting countries in financing and building the resilience and sustainability of their agrifood systems..

FAO will also continue to support countries in the implementation of their climate actions agreed in the COPs and the necessary just transition. This includes assisting them in implementing existing agreements through the official United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process and supporting national climate planning processes like Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). This is especially crucial as countries prepare to submit their updated NDCs, their national climate action plans, early next year.

With the operationalization of the "loss and damage" fund and final agreement on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement dealing with climate markets, FAO’s continued support will be essential for countries to ensure increased investments in agriculture and food systems that can bring climate adaptation, mitigation, sequestration solutions alongside food security.

Promoting agrifood system solutions

On Food, Agriculture and Water Day at COP29, FAO spearheaded a series of events. These included discussions on science and innovation for resilient food systems and high-level dialogues on financing agrifood system transformation and enhancing NDC ambition. FAO's efforts underscored the need for increased investment, collaboration, and policy action to support sustainable agriculture and food security in the face of climate change.

The Food and Agriculture Pavilion, jointly hosted by FAO and CGIAR at COP29 in Baku, served as a dynamic hub for showcasing the critical role of agrifood systems in climate action.  Inaugurated by FAO Director-General, the pavilion acted as a platform for knowledge exchange and collaborative action, featuring events and discussions on topics like integrating agrifood systems into NDCs and voluntary carbon markets. It also highlighted COP presidency initiatives like the FAST Partnership

Other key FAO publications

Agrifood systems in Nationally Determined Contributions: global analysis:  The new FAO analysis of NDCs revealed that while most countries prioritize agrifood systems in their climate action plans, significant gaps remain in mitigation, adaptation, and financing. The study stresses the urgent need to address these gaps, particularly by increasing investments in sustainable agriculture and closing the emissions gap in the livestock sector.  FAO emphasizes the potential of agrifood systems as climate solutions and urges countries to enhance their NDCs to fully realize this potential.

Climate technologies for agrifood systems transformation: The report highlights the need for robust technology assessments to underpin climate technology identification for agrifood systems transformation that addresses all stages of agrifood value chains. This needs to be supported by capacity-building programmes, targeted financing and fed into the ongoing climate policy process.

United Nations Global Nitrous Oxide Assessment: A new UNEP-FAO report revealed that rising nitrous oxide emissions are jeopardizing efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The report highlights the urgent need for action to curb these emissions, primarily from agriculture, to protect the ozone layer and human health. It emphasizes the potential for significant emissions reductions through sustainable nitrogen management and calls for a comprehensive strategy to address this potent greenhouse gas.

Bridging nature and climate through protection of primary forests with high ecological integrity: This technical brief highlights the vital role of primary forests in achieving climate and biodiversity goals. The brief emphasizes the importance of conserving these forests, which store vast amounts of carbon and support biodiversity, while also acknowledging the threats they face. FAO also calls for increased recognition of Indigenous communities' role in forest stewardship and for innovative financing mechanisms to support their efforts and ensure the protection of these critical ecosystems.

Activity book- livestock and climate change: A new activity book for children and pre-teens that explores the role of livestock in human communities and their impact on the environment, including their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.  With engaging illustrations and activities, the book aims to educate young people about the complex relationship between livestock and climate change, encouraging them to become informed and engaged in creating a sustainable future.

Looking ahead

COP29 in Baku concluded with a strong emphasis on increasing financial support for developing countries to combat climate change.  A key achievement was the commitment by developed nations to triple their annual financial aid to $300 billion by 2035, alongside a collaborative effort to mobilize a total of $1.3 trillion per year by 2035. 

Countries also agreed on the rules for a UN-backed global carbon market. This market will facilitate the trading of carbon credits, incentivizing countries to reduce emissions and invest in climate-action projects. COP29 also prioritized transparency in climate reporting and adaptation strategies, particularly for least developed countries. While these agreements signify progress, continued efforts are crucial to address remaining challenges and ensure these commitments translate into tangible action.

COP29 also saw the successful progress of the dedicated official track under the four-year Sharm El Sheikh Joint Work on implementation of climate action on agriculture and food security (SJWA), a collaborative process FAO has been supporting since 2017.

While the SJWA is ongoing, COP29 facilitated increased visibility for the initiative, prompting greater engagement from stakeholders and emphasizing a shift towards implementing the framework. This included translating plans into concrete actions on the ground, such as promoting climate-resilient practices, improving water management, and enhancing early warning systems for farmers. 

Critically, COP29 fostered discussions on integrating the SJWA with initiatives like the Loss and Damage fund to address climate impacts on agriculture in vulnerable countries. This fund, newly operationalized at COP29, aims to provide financial assistance to countries impacted by climate change.

While the marathon negotiations may not have delivered everything that was hoped for, FAO and partners maintained the strong momentum around the role that agriculture and food systems must play if we are to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and a just transition.

Looking ahead, COP30 in Brazil promises to be a critical milestone, hosted for the first time in the Amazon rainforest. This unique setting will likely bring a heightened focus on issues at the nexus of climate change and agrifood systems.  COP30 also represents a crucial deadline for nations to present their strengthened NDCs, demonstrating a renewed commitment to the goals of the Paris Agreement.  FAO stands ready to collaborate fully with the incoming Brazilian presidency to ensure the success of this vital conference and drive ambitious climate action.