By Dare Akogun
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has called on global leaders at the ongoing UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP16) in Cali, Colombia, to prioritize funding and support for small-scale farmers, who play a pivotal role in combating biodiversity loss and climate change.
According to IFAD, these farmers are on the frontlines, responsible for producing food for over three billion people globally who lack access to a nutritious diet.
IFAD’s focus on smallholder farmers is essential as the world grapples with the dual challenge of feeding a projected 9.7 billion people by 2050 while reversing environmental degradation.
“Addressing this situation requires transforming agri-food systems to become more sustainable and biodiversity-friendly,” said Oliver Page, IFAD’s Climate Change and Environmental Specialist for Latin America and the Caribbean, who leads the IFAD delegation at COP16.
Page emphasized the need for agroecological practices and agrobiodiversity to address these global challenges.
IFAD has committed to channelling 30% of its climate finance to support nature-based solutions by 2030. This aligns with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), adopted at COP15 in 2022, and reflects IFAD’s people-centered approach focused on balancing nature, livelihoods, and food security.
The Fund has also adopted a biodiversity strategy to integrate biodiversity protection and sustainable use across its operations.
Biodiversity is fundamental to sustainable agri-food systems, contributing to agriculture productivity, resilience, and critical ecosystem services such as pollination, nutrient cycling, and pest control.
These services support global ecosystems and contribute an estimated $125 trillion annually to the world economy.
However, biodiversity loss compromises ecosystems and threatens life support systems essential for human survival.
IFAD highlighted the role of small-scale farmers, Indigenous Peoples, women, youth, and value chain partners in preserving biodiversity.
However, these groups are underrepresented in both national and international funding mechanisms.
Donor support for agricultural development has stagnated at 4-6% of total official development assistance over the last decade, while small scale farmers receive less than one percent of global climate finance, about $5.53 billion far below the estimated $300-400 billion annually needed to transform global food systems to be sustainable, resilient, and equitable.
Small-scale farmers produce one-third of the world’s food and a substantial portion of food in developing countries.
However, their ability to sustain this output is increasingly at risk due to climate change-related challenges such as shifting rainfall patterns, ecosystem degradation, and extreme weather events.
At COP16, participating nations are expected to take steps to close the $700 billion annual biodiversity finance gap and align financial flows with the GBF.
