The first global declaration on curbing emissions from food production was signed by 134 countries, including 25 African countries, at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, putting food systems transformation on the global climate agenda and aligning with the African Development Bank's ambitious food and climate initiatives.
COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action addresses global emissions while safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of farmers on the frontlines of climate change.
Expected to enhance food systems, build resilience to climate change, reduce global emissions, and contribute to the global fight against hunger, the declaration aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Bank's impactful, climate-sensitive programs and initiatives supporting food and climate action to feed Africa and improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.
The Bank co-hosted Dakar 2 Food Summit drew 34 African Heads of State or Government, 75 Ministers, and heads of development organizations.
When implemented, the declaration will boost implementation of the Dakar 2 Food Summit, co-hosted by the Bank in January in Senegal. There, 34 African Heads of State or Government, 75 ministers, and heads of development organizations endorsed the creation of Country Food and Agriculture Delivery Compacts outlining production targets for key agricultural staples, a road map to reach them, and enabling policies including support for smallholder farmers, rural infrastructure, and innovative financing. Development partners announced up to $30 billion in support, of which the Bank committed $10 billion over the next five years. Additional commitments have raised the total to over $70 billion.
click to watch for the Bank's TAAT initiative is making an impact in Ethiopia and Sudan
The Bank's Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program seeks to double productivity by giving access to more than 40 million smallholder farmers to agricultural technologies like climate-smart seeds by 2025. TAAT has already benefited approximately 13 million farmers in Africa by the dissemination of quality higher-yielding, drought-tolerant, pest-resistant, and heat-tolerant seeds, directly supporting the declaration's focus on fight against hunger and climate action.
The Africa Emergency Food Production Facility is the Bank's response to the food crisis resulting from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It has committed $1.5 billion to support 20 million smallholder farmers in 36 countries with access to affordable certified seeds and fertilizer to produce approximately 38 million metric tons of food valued at $12 billion. This commitment aligns with the goal of the COP28 UAE Declaration to fight hunger and build resilience.
the $1.5 billion Africa Emergency Food Production Facility program facilitated access to climate-smart seeds and fertilizers in 36 countries.
The Bank's African Climate-smart Agriculture program reinforces the declaration's emphasis on sustainable management of resources and greater access to climate risk management tools.
Committed to fostering sustainable agriculture and resilient food systems in the face of climate change, the Bank Group has mobilized $850 million since 2017 to finance regional programs to build the resilience of 14 million smallholder farmers in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, the Niger River Basin and Zambezi River Basin. This coordinated approach supports African countries to reach the COP28 UAE Declaration objectives.
Alphonso Van Marsh, Principal Digital Content and Events Officer, email: [email protected]
