Agroecology is an essential type of farming that focuses on sustainable practices to improve food production while protecting the environment.
According to United Nations (UN) researchers, promoting natural methods, agroecology helps remove harmful gases like methane and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores carbon in the soil.
The researchers have found that food systems account for about a third of global emissions, highlighting the urgent need for change.
Low-carbon agriculture is vital for ensuring long-term food security and sovereignty for communities around the world.
Agroecology reduces greenhouse gas emissions primarily by enhancing soil organic matter, a process known as carbon sequestration while minimising the use of synthetic fertilisers.
Despite its clear benefits for both the planet and food systems, there is a significant lack of financial support needed to fully transform these agricultural practices and create a more sustainable future.
Daniel Moss, a co-director at the Agroecology Fund, which supports eco-friendly farming practices, noted the importance of aligning donor investments with agroecology principles.
He shared, “We had a discussion among donors focused on agricultural development, exploring whether they can shift their funding towards agroecology.”
He stressed that moving money into agroecology could be a key solution to pressing global issues like hunger, biodiversity loss, and climate change.
While it’s not always straightforward for donors to support grassroots, community-led agroecology, he believes it is possible.
Moss spoke during a conference in Harare, Zimbabwe, where grassroots organisations and agricultural financiers gathered to share insights on scaling up agroecology amid the complex challenges facing the world, especially in Africa.
One major topic was the need for financial support for agroecology, which is crucial for achieving food sovereignty.
Transforming existing food systems to align with sustainable practices is a monumental challenge that requires substantial investments.
At a recent learning exchange in Harare, Zimbabwe, organised by the Agroecology Fund, farmers and representatives from agricultural networks posed a critical question to donor organisations: Can they make this transformation happen?
Current estimates suggest that overhauling food systems could cost between $300 billion and $400 billion annually.
The World Bank estimates that making the global agrifood system more resilient, nutritious, inclusive, and net-zero will require about $500 billion each year for the next decade.
While these figures may seem daunting, the cost of inaction is even higher, especially for developing countries struggling with food insecurity.
According to the latest data, one in eleven people worldwide and one in five in Africa, faces hunger, with nearly 733 million people affected in 2023 alone.
This ongoing crisis indicates the urgent need for all types of funding, from philanthropic and development organisations to public and private sectors, including bilateral and multilateral financial institutions, to support the transformation of food systems through agroecology.
The hidden costs of the current global agrifood system are staggering, estimated at $12 trillion annually, illustrating that existing practices not only fail to produce enough food but also exacerbate rural poverty, hunger, and malnutrition.
Alarmingly, one in four children globally lives in severe food poverty, and undernutrition is responsible for nearly half of all deaths in children under five.
Without a food system that works in harmony with nature, the world risks falling short of the Paris Agreement and straying further from the Sustainable Development Goals related to health, education, gender equality, poverty alleviation, food security, and sustainable development.
END
English 