COP27th - Adaptation and Agriculture Day at Sharm el-Sheikh

UNFCCC COP27, the 7th and 8th day, comprised talks about agriculture, climate, and adaptation. There, on November 12, there was a discussion about how farmers working on a small scale from developing countries are responsible for producing one-third of the world’s world.  Despite being forced to deal with droughts, floods, hurricanes, and other disasters, they receive only 1.7% of climate funding.

A similar emotion was projected towards conference rooms and pavilions at the climate summit in Egypt, on Saturday. Where attention was provided to important issues like agriculture, adaptation, and food systems concerning climate change.

Sabria Dhowre Elba, Goodwill Ambassador for the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), said that “we need to help populations in rural areas so that they can withstand extreme weather conditions and adapt to climate change”. For her, this was a personal issue as her country experienced failed rainy seasons for four consecutive years, which is a climatic issue not seen in the past 40 years.

She said I can’t sit silently when farmers and their families are suffering in Africa by witnessing the most serious drought in recent times. I hereby urge the developed countries to provide un-negotiable funds and investments for the same.

Trillions and billions of dollars have been invested by different countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the same sort of funding is needed to keep the climate at its best, agriculture support, as it is crucial for everyone’s food security and well-being.

Moreover, the regional director of IFAD warned that failure in helping rural populations could lead to dangerous consequences, like migrations, longer poverty, and conflict. To prevent them from happening, world leaders are requested to pledge and provide 100 billion dollars a year, as climate finance to help developing nations, and indirectly help themselves.

Several initiatives were highlighted to create climate-resilient agriculture and adaptation. Food systems should be equipped with providing communities over the world with food that is provided after production in a responsible, sustainable, and inclusive way. This was the takeaway by the end of this discussion.