FAO Calls for Immediate Climate Funding to Transform Agrifood Systems
Belém, Thursday, 13 November 2025.
At the Belém Climate Summit, FAO highlights a crucial funding gap, calling it a ‘lost opportunity’ for reducing a third of global emissions through agrifood systems.
The Call for Enhanced Climate Financing
At the Belém Climate Summit, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) emphasized the urgent need for increased climate funding to transform global agrifood systems. Labeling the current financial shortfall as a ‘lost opportunity,’ the FAO highlighted that these systems could potentially reduce up to one-third of global emissions if adequately supported [1][2].
Science-Based Solutions for Sustainable Growth
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu underlined the importance of science-based solutions in the agrifood sector to promote low-emission growth and enhance food security. Initiatives such as integrated fire management and resilient food systems are pivotal in achieving sustainable development goals [1][5]. The FAO’s Call to Action on Integrated Fire Management, endorsed by 50 countries, aims to pivot from reactive fire suppression to proactive strategies [1][4].
Impact of Financial Gaps on Agrifood Systems
Despite contributions from entities like the Green Climate Fund, forestry, livestock, fisheries, and crop production collectively received merely 4% of total climate-related development finance in 2023, indicating a significant gap in necessary funding [1][3][5]. The FAO stresses that this gap leaves one of the most effective pathways to low-emission growth untapped [3].
Strategic Initiatives and Future Prospects
Looking ahead to COP30, scheduled for 10–21 November 2025 in Belém, Brazil, the FAO plans to advocate for the integration of agrifood systems into global climate action. The organization supports the COP30 Presidency’s Action Agenda and initiatives like the RAIZ Accelerator, which mobilizes investments for restoring degraded agricultural lands [1][4]. The FAO’s efforts underscore the critical role of sustainable agrifood systems in achieving broader climate goals [2][5].