COP28 Food, Agriculture and Water Day: 5 key takeaways

Sunday 10 December was Food, Agriculture, and Water Day at COP28. Here’s a quick recap of the big announcements affecting the international food sector. 

Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment and COP28 Food Systems Lead, said: “To achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, to keep 1.5C within reach, we must address the connection between global food systems, agriculture, and the climate... Together, we must build a global food system that is fit for the future.” 

These are the initiatives she oversaw on Food, Agriculture and Water Day at COP28:

1. 152 countries sign COP28 UAE Declaration on Agriculture, Food Systems and Climate Action (the Declaration)

Announced at the start of the COP with 134 signatory states, on Sunday the tally reached 152 backing the initiative. 

2. The UK commits more funds to the Technical Cooperation Collaborative (TCC)

Over the next five years £45 million will be channeled through the World Bank's Food Systems 2030 Trust Fund to help sustain this supply chain food safety project, which oversees the implementation of technical cooperation projects to support developing countries. The money will help farmers around the world adopt sustainable, climate-resilient practices. Italy also pledged a further €10 million over the next two years. 

3. More international funding to support farmers and small agribusinesses

The Food and Agricultural Organisation, the World Bank, CGIAR and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) teamed up with the COP28 Presidency to announce the Sharm-El Sheikj Support Programme, which offers three years of funding to countries looking to support farmers, food producers, small agribusinesses and local communities.

4. Extra investment in food safety systems

The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate – originally launched at COP26 – announced a $3.4 billion cash injection to bolster funding for the climate-smart food systems and agriculture initiative.

5. UK signs the Freshwater Challenge

The commitment to protect and restore 30 percent of the Earth’s degraded freshwater ecosystems by 2030 was originally launched in March this year. The UK joins the original signees Colombia, DR Congo, Ecuador, Gabon, Mexico and Zambia along with 29 others to boost the restoration and conservation of freshwater ecosystems. 

You can read more about the other events at COP28 Food, Agriculture and Water Day here.