Last week, the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), the Focal Point of the UNFCCC Farmers’ Constituency, actively engaged in the 36th Meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance (SCF36), ensuring that the voices of farmers were heard in the ongoing discussions on climate finance. Climate finance remains a critical issue for farmers worldwide, as it determines their capacity to recover and adapt to climate change, building resilience in our agri-food systems and contributing to a more food-secure future for all.

Key Outcomes from SCF36

SCF36 kicked off the preparation for the upcoming SCF Forum 2025, scheduled to take place at the FAO HQ in Rome on 8-9 September 2025 under the theme: “Accelerating climate action and resilience through financing for sustainable food systems and agriculture.”

Mr Francesco Brusaporco, Senior Officer in charge of climate and the environment at the WFO, attended the meeting virtually on behalf of the Farmers’ Constituency. The WFO representative emphasized the importance of ensuring that discussions at the Forum reflect the diversity and complexity of the agricultural sector and underscore the important role and engagement of farmers’ organisations and agricultural cooperatives to scale up individual initiatives and ensure finance reach farmers on the ground. In a first reaction to the draft programme outline, presented briefly during the meeting, the following was highlighted:

• Farmers’ appreciation for the commitment to amplify key stakeholder perspectives, stressing the importance of the Forum to give greater visibility to the experience and needs of the farmers as well as create opportunities for dialogue between farmers and other actors.
• The opportunity to emphasize the role of young and women farmers in the Forum, in particular building on the outcomes of the SCF Forum 2024 on gender-responsive financing and preparing the ground for 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer.
• The need for adequate resources and mechanisms to enable meaningful contribution of all farmers to the Forum, especially farmers from the most vulnerable contexts, including travel support, language accessibility and option for virtual participation.

These contributions align with the submission made by the UNFCCC Farmers’ Constituency in early January, which underscores the essential role of farmers in shaping climate finance policies that directly impact their livelihoods and resilience.

As a follow-up to the Forum, the WFO wishes to congratulate with Ms Elena Pereira (Honduras) and Ms Brittany Young (Australia) for their appointment as Co-Facilitators of the Forum and reiterated the commitment of the farmers to work together with them and SCF Members and observers for a successful event in September.

WFO Commitment on Climate Finance

Securing access to finance for all farmers is crucial for achieving a just transition toward resilient, equitable, and inclusive agri-food systems. Yet farmers still see access to finance (lack of) and financial independence (lack of) as one of the main barriers to adopting climate-smart practices in agriculture (WFO-AgMission, 2023). This is especially true when it comes to young farmers, the farmers of today who have been given the responsibility of steering the transition to the agriculture of tomorrow, yet they struggle to get their voices heard when decisions about the future of our sector are taken.

The WFO is working to fill that gap, asking young farmers to imagine a sustainable future for our sector, their sector, and identifying the key steps to get there. The results of a year-long consultation are outlined in the Global Youth Producers Consultation on Climate Smart Agriculture by WFO and AgMission, an AIM for Climate Innovation Sprint initiative. Supporting farmers in this endeavor requires targeted climate finance mechanisms that support young farmers in the early transition phase and create market incentives for sustainable products. The 2025 SCF Forum presents a valuable opportunity to amplify the voices of farmers and in particular young farmers in climate finance discussions, working with relevant networks and organisations, including the Youth Constituency (YOUNGO), to ensure that their experiences and needs are fully integrated into policy frameworks.

Through continued engagement with the SCF and other international platforms, the WFO is committed to strengthening the connection between the global discussion and the national implementation. In this regard, the WFO is looking forward to working closely with other Governments and relevant actors, including through the Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation (FAST) Partnership to build and develop the capacity of farmers’ organisations and cooperatives to access relevant opportunities and co-develop innovative approaches to ensuring climate finance reaches those who need it the most.