Food and climate are inseparable

From farm fields to fisheries, food systems shape the climate — and vice versa. FAO stresses that solutions rooted in agriculture and land use could deliver up to a third of the emission reductions needed to keep climate goals within reach. These same approaches can lock carbon back into soils and trees, stabilize food production, and buffer rural communities against rising shocks and stresses.

Practical pathways already exist: rehabilitating exhausted farmland, scaling resilient and nutritious crops, advancing sustainable aquaculture and livestock practices, and restoring tree cover through agroforestry. Together, these measures can help safeguard the livelihoods of the 1.2 billion people who depend directly on agrifood systems.

A widening finance gap

Despite growing recognition of the sector’s potential, money isn’t flowing at the pace or scale required. In 2023, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, livestock, and crop production reportedly received just 4 percent of total climate-related development finance. Even with increased allocations from major climate funds, this remains far below what’s needed to drive transformation across landscapes and supply chains.

For a sector capable of delivering large, cross-cutting climate benefits — from mitigation to adaptation and resilience — the shortfall is more than inequitable; it is a missed climate opportunity. FAO argues that aligning finance with proven agrifood solutions would accelerate low-emission growth while reinforcing food security and biodiversity.

Amazon lessons: restoration that pays back

In Brazil’s Amazon region, agroforestry initiatives are reviving degraded lands by blending trees with crops and, in some cases, livestock. These practices support local economies, rebuild soil health, enhance biodiversity, and store carbon — a portfolio of benefits that illustrates how climate, nature, and nutrition can advance together when investments target integrated solutions.

From firefighting to fire-smart landscapes

As part of the lead-up to COP30, governments and partners launched a Call to Action on Integrated Fire Management and Wildfire Resilience. The initiative urges a pivot away from reactive suppression towards proactive, landscape-scale prevention, combining scientific insight, traditional knowledge, and modern technologies.

The framework outlines 22 strategic steps to reduce wildfire risk, empower local and Indigenous communities, and strengthen cross-border cooperation. The FAO-hosted Global Fire Management Hub has been identified as a key delivery platform, coordinating with countries and regional networks to turn commitments into operational capacity.

What to watch at COP30

FAO views COP30 as a decisive moment to embed food and agriculture at the heart of climate negotiations — from the Global Goal on Adaptation and loss and damage, to nationally determined contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), climate finance, technology, and a just transition for rural communities.

Support for the COP30 Presidency’s Action Agenda will focus on agriculture, forests, and the bioeconomy. The Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation (FAST) Partnership, hosted by FAO, is set to continue as a bridge from one COP to the next, ensuring agrifood priorities translate into implementation. Through FAST, FAO is backing the Resilient Agriculture Investment for net Zero land degradation (RAIZ) accelerator — a global effort to mobilize finance for restoring degraded agricultural lands at scale.

The Global Fire Management Hub will also contribute directly to the COP30 agenda by advancing ecosystem conservation, protection, and restoration linked to fire-resilient landscapes.

Knowledge, pavilions, and partnerships

To foster collaboration and share science-based solutions, FAO will co-host the Food and Agriculture Pavilion for the fourth consecutive year alongside CGIAR and contribute to the Forest Pavilion in its role as Chair of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests. Throughout the conference, FAO plans to release new analyses on the links between climate and food systems, a scan of global NAPs, a report on climate-related development finance for agrifood systems, and research on the role of forests and trees in agricultural resilience, as well as the rising risks of extreme heat for farming.

The bottom line

Agrifood systems can be a climate linchpin — cutting emissions, storing carbon, rebuilding ecosystems, and protecting livelihoods — but only if investment catches up with ambition. As COP30 approaches, the signal is clear: directing finance toward proven, scalable agrifood solutions is not just good for the planet; it is essential for a fair and food-secure future.