Mpho Sekati’s Post

Last week, COP29 Azerbaijan concluded amidst disagreement between low- and high-income countries on climate finance goals. Despite the urgency of the climate crisis, the lack of consensus and actionable commitments served as a stark reminder of the challenges we face in addressing climate change.   Despite this, there were a few bright spots. The second-annual Food, Water, and Agriculture Day highlighted several new initiatives aimed at transforming agrifood systems to address sustainability, resilience, and food security. Among these, the Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers was announced as a platform to unify disparate programs and partnerships, fostering improved collaboration between food systems stakeholders.   As an advocate for collaboration and evidence-based knowledge sharing, we’re eager to see how this initiative can better promote the exchange of best practices to improve the lives of farmers.   #COP29 #ClimateAction #Collaboration   Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dgNzbn6M

Fulcrum Commentary by Elyssa Kaur Ludher and Paul Teng - Following the letdown of COP29, ASEAN needs to step up and lead the way in controlling emissions from Southeast Asia’s agri-food system. https://lnkd.in/g5g2eZtt #Climatechange #Agriculture #Southeastasia

At COP29, world leaders are focusing on climate finance. This is a crucial opportunity to ensure farmers get the right support to transition to agriculture practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build climate resilience.   Less than 5% of climate finance currently reaches food and agriculture, even though the sector contributes one-third of global emissions and is on the front lines of climate impacts. We need better, more accessible and impactful financing to help farmers reduce emissions, boost resilience and keep us all fed on a changing planet.   High-quality climate finance means: 💸Accessible funds for farmers when they need them. 🚜Targeted investments that drive real climate action. 📢Concessional terms to avoid putting farmers and countries into unsustainable debt.   Let’s push for climate finance that supports farmers around the world and secures a sustainable food future. Read my Environmental Defense Fund colleague Jennifer Chow's new blog: https://www.edf.org/Z6Ea #COP29 #ClimateFinance #ActiononFood

Ahead of #COP29, I shared my thoughts on what Africa, and by extension, the Global South, must prioritise in upcoming climate negotiations. Drawing from the "documented lived experience" (a phrase I must attribute to the genius of Dr Joseph Mante) in Nigeria's Sankera region of Benue State, I make a case for establishing a dedicated Agriculture and Food Security Fund within the climate finance framework. Our farmers have long employed agroecological practices that work in harmony with natural ecosystems. Indeed, as it is often said, solving the climate crisis is intrinsically linked to solving the biodiversity crisis - a healthy ecosystem does more for climate stability than any artificial carbon reduction measure. These traditional methods, refined over generations, offer invaluable insights for climate-resilient agriculture. However, without proper financial backing, this potential remains largely untapped. The proposed fund would serve multiple critical functions: scaling climate-smart farming techniques, improving market access for smallholder farmers, and strengthening local food systems. This isn't merely about agriculture – it's about building resilient communities and preserving traditional knowledge while adapting to climate challenges. As we approach COP29, dubbed the '#FinanceCOP,' we have a unique opportunity to reshape the narrative around climate finance. The time has come to recognise agriculture's central role in climate resilience and food security.

This piece is both timely and essential. Kamo Sende rightly advocates for dedicated climate finance for agroecology and smallholder farmers within the global climate framework. My work frequently assesses how global finance and governance frameworks impact afro-communities particularly in light of their current and historical challenges. Climate change is the most urgent collective threat of our time, today. If not properly managed, we risk enormous damage on a scale we cannot even begin to comprehend. However, effective solutions are anything but generic. They are not wholesale. Africa’s path to climate adaptation, mitigation, and even a just energy transition requires strategies deeply rooted in localized contexts—strategies that reflect the unique socio-economic and environmental landscape of the continent. For us Africans, climate resilience is inextricably linked to food security. Declining quality of life across the continent, no doubt exacerbated by market-driven approaches pushed by international financial institutions, emphasize the urgency of a different approach. If we have any chance to preserve human dignity while addressing the escalating impacts of climate change, negotiators in climate finance must prioritize smallholder farmers in Africa as central actors in climate solutions. These farmers are climate stewards who can drive agroecological methods that are sustainable, equitable, and tailored to the continent’s needs. Thank you, Kamo, for amplifying this critical perspective. May our calls for a responsive, inclusive climate finance framework resonate where it matters most.

The agri-food sector is at the heart of combating climate change and ensuring global food security. Yet, the current level of global climate finance for agriculture is far from adequate. As highlighted below, to meet the challenges of climate resilience and emissions reduction in line with the Paris Agreement, we need to multiply the financing dedicated to this sector by a factor of 40. #SustainableAgriculture #ClimateFinance #Agrifood

As highlighted in our recent article (visit our page), Sub-Saharan African farmers urgently need attention and technology-based solutions tailored to their specific context, not imported ones. Poor climate financing is a clear sign that it is up to us, as Sub-Saharan Africans, to push for solutions that benefit us. We cannot wait for international gatherings that often overlook our interests. #ClimateFinance #SmallholderFarmers #Agritech #SustainableFarming #SubSaharanAfrica #LocalSolutions #IKIRARO #Agriculture

What's on the table at #COP29? Daphne Ewing-Chow speaks to experts to find out. "COP27 and COP28 put food systems firmly on the agenda and consolidated bold, high-level political commitment. Now, COP29 must focus on accelerating implementation," - Oliver Camp More here: https://lnkd.in/g2P_Svnu

🌍 As negotiators finalize the new climate finance goals at #COP29, it is vital that smallholder farmers are included in the conversation. We've seen agriculture finally getting more attention at COP29, but as this powerful piece for Forbes by Daphne Ewing-Chow points out, less than 1% of climate finance reaches the farmers producing up to 35% of our food. 🔑 Why does this matter? Every dollar invested in smallholder resilience multiplies benefits— bigger harvests, fewer emissions, and thriving communities. 💬 As Michelle Kagari, our Senior Director of Government Relations and Partnerships, puts it: "They feed an estimated two billion people— roughly a quarter of the world’s population— so an investment in smallholder farmers is a direct investment in global food security.” Read more and join the conversation! 👇🏿