In its latest submission, the UNFCCC Farmers’ Constituency, a broad and diverse network of over 70 global, regional and national farmer organisations and agricultural NGOs coordinated by the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), set out the views and expectations of the Farmers on the Baku-to-Belém Roadmap to USD 1.3 Trillion.

The COP29 decision on a New Collective Quantified Goal for Climate Finance called on “all actors to work together to enable the scaling up of financing to developing country Parties for climate action from all public and private sources to at least USD 1.3 trillion per year by 2035” and proposed the development of a Roadmap to fill the finance gap, a key deliverable for COP30.

The consultation, convened by the COP29 and COP30 Presidencies, provided an opportunity for the WFO and the broader Farmers’ Constituency to draw attention to the massive finance gap in agri-food systems and the untapped potential of farmers’ organisations and cooperatives to drive action from the farm level.

The Constituency expects the Roadmap to prioritise climate finance that is readily available, easily accessible, and highly predictable for farmers. Farmers are on the frontline of climate change adaptation and mitigation, contributing to the well-being of local communities, the development of rural economies, and the achievement of global food security and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The submission highlights several key topics and thematic issues to be addressed, including the gap in adaptation finance, direct-to-farm financing models, the diversification of financial instruments, the creation of incentive structures, the strengthening of the enabling environment, and the combination of climate and development funding.

In recognising the specific barriers that hinder farmers’ access to finance — particularly in developing countries — the submission singled out weak financial infrastructure, high transaction costs, and a lack of credit history or collateral requirements as major obstacles.

Two concrete examples from WFO member organisations show the critical role of farmers’ organisations as key partners in ensuring financial mobilisation efforts align local agricultural priorities and effectively reach farmers.

In Kenya, the Kenya National Farmers’ Federation (KENAFF) partnered with Mastercard, the African Development Bank and other actors to develop the Farm Pass platform, digitising transactions and expanding access to financial and digital services. This was complemented by connectivity efforts and cooperative capacity-building. In Burundi, the Confédération des Associations des Producteurs Agricoles pour le Développement (CAPAD) was directly involved in the EU-funded Tubungabunge Isi Ndimwa (TIN) Project, directly benefiting nearly 87,000 farming households. Through training, local cooperatives helped farmers adopt sustainable soil fertility practices and access micro-loans.

A greater involvement of farmers in the governance structure of the UNFCCC financial mechanisms and simplified access and procedures for farmers’ organisations would strengthen the ability of relevant multilateral initiatives to deliver meaningful results at the farm level.

With this contribution, the WFO reaffirms its commitment to elevating the voices of farmers, advocating for climate finance solutions that fully integrate the needs, priorities, and solutions of farmers.

Read the complete Farmers’ Constituency submission to the Baku-to-Belém Roadmap here: https://bit.ly/UNFCCCFarmersBaku-to-BelémRoadmap

 Cover photo by ©UN Climate Change | Lucia Vasquez Tumi