By Eddah Waithaka
As the UN Climate Conference (COP30) opens with a sharp focus on implementation, the agricultural alliance AGRA is pushing governments and partners to replace rhetoric with real-world finance and policies that protect Africa’s smallholder farmers from climate shocks.
Dubbing it the “COP of Truth,” AGRA leaders are calling for a decisive shift that places soils, youth, and resilient food systems at the center of the global climate agenda.
They argue that current adaptation funding barely meets a tenth of the need, leaving those who feed the continent dangerously exposed.
“Africa’s farmers are not waiting for the future, they are shaping it,” said Alice Ruhweza, President of AGRA. “A farmer-first climate breakthrough means turning promises into progress, converting finance into resilience, and transforming ambition into action where it matters most, on farms.”
This push aligns with the newly adopted Belém Declaration on Hunger, Poverty, and Human-Centered Climate Action, which 43 countries and the European Union endorsed.
The declaration urges a major rebalancing of climate finance toward the people most vulnerable to climate disasters.
AGRA emphasizes that small-scale producers are not merely victims but are essential drivers of solutions. The organization is spotlighting proven pathways to scale up impact, including coherent policies, targeted finance, and a major focus on restoring soil health.
“Resilience is built when the right policies, finance, and technical solutions meet at the farm level,” said Tilahun Amede, AGRA’s Director for Sustainable Farming, Climate Adaptation, and Resilience.
“At COP30, we aim to show how soil health, water management, and inclusive finance can turn climate ambition into practical results for farmers.”
Confronting the Soil and Youth Crises
AGRA’s call for action addresses two critical fronts: land degradation and youth unemployment. Citing the Africa Food Systems Report 2025, AGRA highlights that nearly 65% of productive land in Africa is degraded, which reduces yields and erodes resilience.
The organization is advocating for significant investments in soil health, diversified cropping, and better nutrient management.
Simultaneously, AGRA is advancing a youth agenda that focuses on skills development, enterprise financing, and creating opportunities in higher-value roles within agricultural value chains, such as processing and logistics.
From Pilot Projects to Systemic Change
AGRA is working with governments to move beyond short-term pilots and instead streamline regulations for climate-resilient seeds and support risk-sharing mechanisms that attract private capital.
This delivery-first approach ties finance to evidence-based actions that farmers can immediately access and use.
To showcase these practical solutions, AGRA is partnering in the Growing Innovations showcase, co-hosted by the Gates Foundation, Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, and other global leaders.
The event will highlight affordable, climate-smart technologies designed for and often by farmers themselves.
The ultimate test for COP30, AGRA asserts, will be whether the negotiations channel resources directly into the hands of the farmers and rural enterprises that power Africa’s food systems and economies.
