WFO and the UNFCCC Farmers’ Constituency met with the representatives of the Australian Presidency of Negotiations for COP31 for a strategic exchange on the state of the agricultural agenda within the UNFCCC process, ahead of Antalya.

With the 2026 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 31) to be held in Antalya, Turkey, from 9-20 November 2026  and the Sharm el-Sheikh Joint Work on Implementation of Climate Action on Agriculture and Food Security (SJWA) entering a critical review year, the UNFCCC Farmers’ Constituency, coordinated by the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), held a strategic exchange with the representatives of the Australian Presidency Negotiations for COP31  to align on priorities and assess the state of the agricultural agenda within the UNFCCC process.

The call brought together constituency members from across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Pacific alongside officials from the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Australia holds the Presidency of Negotiations for COP31, with Minister Bowen serving as President of Negotiations, while Türkiye, as COP31 President, will host the physical conference and lead the Action Agenda.

A review year for UNFCCC agriculture negotiations

The conversation gave space for an honest assessment of SJWA. Constituency members raised persistent concerns: the SJWA online portal has proved difficult to navigate, limited reporting by Parties on national actions, and a wider question of whether the agriculture item is translating into meaningful outcomes on the ground. The Australian team acknowledged these concerns directly. Portal enhancements are underway to improve search, filter functionality and the user interface, with the aim of having improvements ready ahead of  SB64, the UNFCCC June Climate Meetings held in Bonn in June 2026, though finalisation is taking longer than expected. Workshop formats are also being reviewed to allow for more dynamic exchange. An information session before Bonn, and broader outreach beyond formal delegation focal points, are among the steps being considered to rebuild momentum between formal sessions.

The Australian team also reported that Parties broadly want an outcome on agriculture in 2026 and recognise opportunities to connect agriculture with other agenda items, including food security, climate and trade, Article 6, nature-based solutions and the energy transition. At the same time, they acknowledged notable divergence on what that outcome should look like and whether a next phase of the work programme is on the table.

Opportunities in the Action Agenda and beyond

On the Action Agenda side, the outlook is more encouraging. Food security and sustainable agricultural systems are among Türkiye’s stated priorities for COP31, a reflection of the growing prominence of agriculture and food systems within the UNFCCC process in recent years. Türkiye is expected to work within the framework Brazil established at COP30 and has recently joined the FAST Partnership, a COP-to-COP mechanism supporting successive presidencies on agri-food that is providing continuity, which the formal negotiations have often lacked. Brazil’s RAIZ initiative on restoring degraded agricultural land, endorsed by Australia last year, is another active reference point.

WFO Secretary General Andrea Porro raised the question of climate and trade coherence, noting growing activity at the intersection of the two agendas. The Australian team pointed to the series of annual climate-trade dialogues agreed at COP30 as a vehicle for amplifying agricultural concerns within the UNFCCC framework, not a substitute for WTO processes, but a space the constituency intends to follow closely.

The pre-COP, to be held in Fiji from 5–8 October 2026 with a Leaders’ event in Tuvalu, is organised around three pillars: keeping to 1.5°C, the ocean-climate nexus, and access to climate finance, all of which offer entry points for food and agriculture advocacy, both in the formal programme and through side events.

WFO and the Farmers’ Constituency will continue to engage with the Presidencies and within the UNFCCC processes in the lead-up to Bonn and beyond, making sure that farmers’ perspectives remain central to the decisions that shape climate policy on agriculture.

Cover photo: Screenshot from the meeting with the representatives of the Australian Presidency of Negotiations for COP31