Untapped Potential

Small-scale family farmers produce a third (32%) of the world’s food yet only 0.3% of international climate finance was spent helping them adapt in 2021, reveals new analysis released today. 

The research, from a new alliance of farmer networks representing over 35 million small-scale producers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific, is being released ahead of COP28 which is set to agree a Global Goal for Adaptation. The UAE Presidency is also urging governments to include food and agriculture in national climate plans for the first time and scale up finance for food system transformation. 

The analysis of international public finance for climate mitigation and adaptation was conducted by Climate Focus. A snapshot of spending in 2021 reveals: 

• The agri-food sector received US$8.4billion in international public climate finance  – around half the US$16 billion spent on energy – with climate vulnerable and food insecure countries such as Zambia and Sierra Leone getting just US$20 million each.
• Just 2% of international public climate finance (US$2 billion) was directed at small-scale family farmers and rural communities – equivalent to around 0.3% of total international climate finance from both public and private sources.  Smallholders’ finance needs are estimated at US$170 billion per year in Sub-Saharan Africa alone. 
• Only a fifth (19%) of international public climate finance spending on food and agriculture was used to support sustainable and resilient practices such as agroecology (US$1.6 billion). A fraction of the estimated US$300 – 350 billion a year required. 

Hakim Baliriane, Chair of the Eastern and Southern Africa small-scale Farmers Forum said: “Climate change has helped push 122 million people into hunger since 2019. Reversing this trend will not be possible if governments continue to tie the hands of millions of family farmers. Together we produce a third of the world’s food yet we receive a fraction of the climate finance we need to adapt.”

The report, Untapped Potential, also shows that 80% of international public climate finance spent on the agri-food sector is channelled through recipient governments and donor country NGOs. This makes it harder for family farmer organisations to access because of complex eligibility rules and application processes, and a lack of information on how and where to apply. Family farmers received just a quarter (24%) of finance spent on the agri-food sector in 2021. 

Many family farmers lack the infrastructure, technology and resources to adapt to climate impacts with serious implications for global food security and rural economies. Family farms of less than two hectares produce a third of the world’s food (32%) while farms of 5 hectares or less account for more than half of the global production of 9 staple crops – rice, peanut, cassava, millet, wheat, potato, maize, barley and rye – and grow almost three-quarters of the coffee and 90% of the cocoa. Over 2.5 billion people globally depend on family farms for their livelihoods.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says the most effective way to safeguard food security is to shift to more nature friendly and diverse food systems. Family farmers are at the forefront of these efforts. For example, in the Pacific farmers are planting breadfruit trees alongside other crops as it is drought resistant, seldom uprooted by storms and cyclones and produces a nutritious staple food crop.

Alberto Broch, president of the Confederation of Family Producer Organizations of Expanded Mercosur, COPROFAM said: “Our message to governments is clear:  More than 600 million family farms are already engaged in building more sustainable and resilient food systems. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience that must be tapped. By including their voices in decision-making and ensuring direct access to more climate finance, we can create a powerful alliance in the fight against climate change.”

Esther Penunia, Secretary General of the Asian Farmers Association said: “Generations of family farming experience and the latest scientific evidence tell us that working with nature and empowering local communities is key to safeguarding food production in a changing climate.  There needs to be a major re-think of climate finance to support these tried and tested climate solutions with much more finance targeted at family farmers and sustainable practices such as agroecology.”

Notes to editor

The embargoed report, ‘Untapped Potential: An analysis of international public climate finance flows to sustainable agriculture and family farmers,’ is available here 

This report is being published by 10 family farmer organisations and networks representing over 35 million farmers in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific including: World Rural Forum (WRF), Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), Eastern and Southern Africa small-scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF), Regional Platform of Farmers’ Organizations in Central Africa (PROPAC), Maghreb and North African Farmers Union (UMNAGRI), Network of West African Farmers’ and Producers’ Organisations (ROPPA), Asian Farmers Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA), Pacific Island Farmers Organisation Network (PIFON), Confederation of Family Producers’ Organizations of Greater Mercosur (COPROFAM) and Regional Rural Dialogue Programme (PDRR). 

It is supported by the Foundation for Farmers Organisations and Restorative Action. The analysis was conducted by Climate Focus.