By HortiNews Correspondent
AGRA is driving a farmer-first climate breakthrough at COP30, urging governments and partners to convert pledges into financing, soil restoration, and youth-driven agricultural innovation for Africa’s climate resilience.
As world leaders converge in Belém for the UN Climate Conference (COP30), the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is spearheading a farmer-centered call to action — urging a “farmer-first climate breakthrough” that puts Africa’s smallholders, youth, and soil health at the heart of global climate solutions.
Dubbed the “Implementation COP” or “COP of Truth”, this year’s conference marks a pivotal shift from commitments to measurable delivery. AGRA is pressing governments and development partners to convert climate pledges into real financing, enabling policies, and transformative actions that strengthen Africa’s food systems and youth employment.
Africa’s farmers are not waiting for the future — they are shaping it,” said Alice Ruhweza, President of AGRA. “A farmer-first climate breakthrough means turning promises into progress, converting finance into resilience, and transforming ambition into action where it matters most — on the farm.”
Turning Climate Ambition into Action
Across multiple engagements in Belém, AGRA is presenting evidence-based pathways that have proven effective across the continent — from fit-for-purpose finance and functional markets to policy reform and soil health investments.
The organization’s agenda aligns with the Belém Declaration on Hunger, Poverty, and Human-Centered Climate Action, endorsed by 43 countries and the European Union. The declaration calls for climate finance reform that prioritizes social justice and equitable resource flow to vulnerable farming communities.
“Resilience is built when the right policies, finance, and technical solutions meet at the farm level,” said Tilahun Amede, AGRA’s Director for Sustainable Farming, Climate Adaptation, and Resilience. “At COP30, we’re demonstrating how soil health, water management, inclusive finance, and stronger value chains turn ambition into real, lasting change.”
Closing the Climate Finance Gap
The UNEP Adaptation Gap Report 2025 highlights a staggering USD 284–339 billion annual shortfall in climate adaptation funding for developing nations — with only about 10% of that currently reaching implementation.
AGRA is calling for mechanisms that channel climate finance directly to farmers, cooperatives, and rural enterprises driving local food systems. The organization recommends:
- Streamlining regulations for climate-resilient seed systems,
- Establishing risk-sharing facilities to attract private investors,
- Aligning donor programs with national priorities to avoid duplication and fragmentation.
Restoring Soils and Empowering Youth
The Africa Food Systems Report 2025 warns that 65% of Africa’s productive land is degraded, threatening food security and farmer resilience. AGRA stresses urgent investment in soil health systems — combining diversified cropping, integrated nutrient management, and both organic and mineral fertilizers.
Additionally, AGRA is driving a youth-focused agribusiness agenda, pushing for innovative financing and procurement models that empower young people in processing, logistics, digital agriculture, and value chain development.
“Investing in youth is investing in Africa’s food future,” added Ruhweza. “We must open pathways that keep young people engaged, employed, and innovating within agriculture.”
Operating in 15 African countries, AGRA continues to promote a delivery-first model, ensuring that climate finance is tied to scalable, evidence-based results that transform lives at the farm level.
At COP30, AGRA is also a lead partner in the Growing Innovations Showcase, co-hosted by the Gates Foundation, Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Embrapa, AIM for Scale, CGIAR, CAAS, FARA, and the United Arab Emirates.
The showcase spotlights climate-smart technologies and partnerships that enhance smallholder access to quality inputs, finance, and markets — key levers for building resilient and inclusive food systems.