Small-scale family farmers, who produce over a third of the world’s food, are critical partners in the creation of more resilient food systems needed to feed the world in a changing climate. Yet they are overlooked by funders and sidelined by decision makers.

The Forest and Farm Facility supports the Family Farmers’ Campaign on climate finance, which aims to build the impact and influence of small-scale family farmer networks so that decision-makers at national, regional and global levels:

• Recognise family farmers as powerful partners that can help deliver sustainable and resilient food systems and maintain food security in a changing climate;
• Ensure family farmers are central to decision-making on climate and food;
• Increase direct access to climate finance for family farmers so they have the support they need to adapt and thrive;
• Support a shift to more diverse, localised and nature-friendly food systems that are more sustainable and resilient.

Why Family Farmers?

Family farmers are vital to transforming global food systems and addressing climate change. With over 600 million family farms worldwide, they produce 80% of the world's food value and support 2.5 billion livelihoods. These farmers are essential for sustainable agriculture, employing practices like growing diverse local crops and integrating livestock, forestry, and fisheries. Despite their importance, family farmers often face underinvestment and exclusion from climate decision-making processes, which makes them vulnerable to climate change and threatens global food security for all of us.

Why Focus on Climate Finance?

Focusing on climate finance for family farmers is crucial because family farmers, according to a recent analysis, receive just 0.3% of international climate finance, despite producing a third of the world’s food and being key to global supply chains. Small-scale farmers invest an estimated USD368 billion annually in adaptation from their limited resources, yet they need about USD170 billion per year in Sub-Saharan Africa alone to transition to climate-resilient agriculture. Enhanced climate finance is essential to support family farmers in adapting to climate impacts, ensuring food security, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

What does the campaign do?

Farmer networks representing millions of family farmers from Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Pacific are calling on governments for an equal seat at the decision-making table, direct access to more climate finance and support for a shift to more diverse, nature friendly approaches that are key for adaptation.

Here are some of the most recent initiatives under the campaign:

Increase the visibility of family farmers at the G7 Summit and the Apuglia Food Systems Initiative (June 2024). Thanks to intel from GSCC and WRF we helped prepare several media responses. 

• Open letter from Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Madagascar The G7 is right to put food at the heart of climate plans. But how matters | Climate-Diplomacy  (citing IIED’s study)
• Open letter from family farmers organizations to Prime Minister Meloni: Open Letter - English - Final.docx (eaffu.org)

These were picked up by various media outlets, including but not limited to:  

• Swiss news and Reuters: G7 leaders launch initiative for global food security - SWI swissinfo.ch ; G7 leaders launch initiative for global food security | Reuters
• In addition, ECCO Italian Think Tank on Climate hosted a blog on this in Italian and English: https://eccoclimate.org/the-g7-food-systems-initiative-new-opportunities-for-african-family-farmers/

60th sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies, in June 2024 in Bonn:

The focus here was more on discussion and dialogue led by AFA and WRF, including connecting with government negotiators and speaking to press. Activities included: 

• SB60 farmers constituency opening remarks
• UNFCCC Farmers Constituency Opening Plenary Statement for SB60
• UNFCCC TV interviews

Letter to Financial Times on Cocoa by Ibrahima Coulibaly ROPPA : Letter: Cocoa price surges rarely help west Africa’s poor farmers (ft.com)