Farmers at the Forefront: AGRA Pushes for a Farmer-First Climate Revolution at COP30.
By Peace Muthoka.
Belém, Brazil – November 10, 2025: As the UN Climate Conference (COP30) — dubbed the “Implementation COP” and the “COP of Truth” kicks off in Belém, AGRA has called for a farmer-first climate revolution that moves beyond rhetoric to real action. The organization is urging global leaders to channel climate finance and policies directly toward smallholder farmers, soil restoration, and youth empowerment to drive Africa’s food system transformation.
AGRA President Alice Ruhweza emphasized the need to shift from pledges to progress. “Africa’s farmers are not waiting for the future; they are shaping it,” she said. “A farmer-first climate breakthrough means turning promises into progress, converting finance into resilience, and transforming ambition into action where it matters most on farms.”
AGRA believes COP30 presents a defining opportunity to accelerate climate adaptation through agriculture. The organization plans to use its platform at the summit to highlight practical pathways that can deliver impact from policy reforms and accessible finance to thriving markets and sustainable soil systems with youth and women driving the change.
This call aligns with the newly adopted Belém Declaration on Hunger, Poverty, and Human-Centered Climate Action, endorsed by 43 countries and the European Union. The Declaration recognizes that climate action and social justice are inseparable, urging fairer climate financing to support communities most affected by climate shocks. It also champions climate-responsive social protection, farmer insurance, and programs that build lasting resilience.
AGRA has welcomed the Declaration, reaffirming that smallholder farmers are not merely victims of climate change but active agents of innovation and transformation. “Resilience is built when the right policies, finance, and technical solutions meet at the farm level,” said Dr. Tilahun Amede, AGRA’s Director for Sustainable Farming, Climate Adaptation, and Resilience. “At COP30, we aim to show how soil health, water management, inclusive finance, and stronger value chains can turn climate ambition into results that matter for farmers.”
According to the UNEP Adaptation Gap Report 2025, developing nations face an annual shortfall of USD 284–339 billion in adaptation funding with current flows meeting only a tenth of that need. AGRA is urging global partners to direct resources where they can have the greatest impact: in the hands of farmers and rural enterprises powering Africa’s food and job systems.
Soils and Youth: The Heart of Africa’s Climate Agenda
Years of land degradation have eroded yields and weakened resilience across smallholder systems. The Africa Food Systems Report 2025 reveals that 65% of Africa’s productive land is degraded, threatening food security. AGRA is advocating for urgent investment in soil health, diversified cropping, and improved nutrient management through both organic and mineral sources. The organization also calls for stronger data systems to track soil health and guide informed policy and investment decisions.
At the same time, AGRA’s youth agenda focuses on creating jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities in high-value areas such as processing, logistics, and agribusiness. It is calling for measurable progress on youth employment and increased financing for agri-SMEs to attract and retain young talent in the agricultural value chain.
From Declarations to Delivery
Drawing from its experience in fifteen African countries, AGRA is promoting a delivery-first approach linking funding to real, evidence-based actions that deliver results faster. The true success of COP30, AGRA says, will depend on whether commitments made at the summit translate into practical, farmer-accessible solutions.
AGRA is also a partner in the Growing Innovations Showcase, co-hosted by the Gates Foundation, Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Embrapa, AIM for Scale, CGIAR, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), and the United Arab Emirates. The showcase, held on November 10, features a high-level forum and exhibition spotlighting affordable, climate-smart solutions designed for and often by farmers.
Through its engagements at COP30, AGRA reaffirms that Africa’s road to resilience begins with its farmers. Empowering them with finance, knowledge, and tools, it says, is not just smart climate action it is the foundation of a sustainable global food future.
