Discussions At COP27 Focus On How World Will Feed 8 Bn People

Cairo: The Adaptation and agriculture thematic day at COP27 in Egypt focused on how the world will feed eight billion people.

Throughout the day, a series of sessions and initiatives shed light on pathways forward on adaptation and climate-resilient agriculture.

The focus comes at a particularly challenging year for food security as 37 million people now face starvation in the Greater Horn of Africa after four consecutive droughts; In Pakistan, unprecedented floods have battered the country’s major agricultural regions; and record-breaking temperatures across Europe and the US have led to drastically reduced crop yields. Russia’s military operation in Ukraine has caused global shortages and price hikes in wheat, oilseeds, and fertiliser.

Four initiatives were taken in today’s session to address the transformation of agrifood systems, the integration of climate responses to peace and security, the improvement of the quality of life of the most vulnerable in Africa by 2030, and the delivery of healthy diets respectively.

The initiatives are  Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation (FAST), Climate Responses for Sustaining Peace, Decent Life for a Climate Resilient Africa, and Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN).

COP27 President Sameh Shoukry said the new initiative will increase climate finance contributions for agriculture and food systems to support the most vulnerable communities.

By dedicating an entire day to Adaptation and Agriculture, COP27 brought together diverse voices from policymakers, scientists, researchers, civil society, and government, who can share their successes and help communities that also need to achieve their sustainable development goals.