Empowering Smallholders for Global Food Security
To achieve global climate and developmental goals, it is crucial to prioritize smallholder farmers in climate action, according to Gabriel Ferrero, strategic advisor to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program.
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent those of AgFunderNews. Despite food security being a fundamental priority under the Paris Agreement, agriculture and food systems have been largely overlooked in climate negotiations.
This neglect is concerning, given that farming and land use are among the sectors most vulnerable to climate impacts, particularly for smallholder farmers and small-scale food producers. Moreover, agriculture is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, yet it also holds potential solutions.
- Agrifood systems receive only 4.3% of total climate finance.
- Smallholder farmers, who produce up to 80% of food in developing countries, receive a mere fraction of this funding.
Smallholder farmers are at the forefront of climate vulnerability, yet they are also key to achieving resilient global food security.
Author's summary: Empowering smallholders is key to global food security.