World food producers and their organisations sign a joint statement to reiterate that the agricultural sector is the only one able to mitigate and adapt to climate change at the same time.
Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, November 08, 2022 – The hundreds of millions of women, men, and young family farmers, ranchers, fishers, forest harvesters, herders, pastoralists and their organizations and cooperatives across the world who are on the frontlines of climate change and work each and every day to feed a growing population, came together as one and independent voice, that of the UNFCCC Farmers’ Constituency, and signed a joint statement to reiterate that the agricultural sector is the only one able to mitigate and adapt to climate change at the same time.
The signatories call the world leaders for climate policy to remain consistent with the Paris Agreement in “Recognizing the fundamental priority of safeguarding food security and ending hunger, and the particular vulnerabilities of food production systems to the adverse impacts of climate change,” hence “increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development, in a manner that does not threaten food production”.
At COP27, the world’s farmers must be at the heart of climate policy to ensure that it reduces global agricultural emissions, increases the climate resilience of the global food system and contributes towards ending the global food security crisis.
Specifically, the Farmers’ Constituency request governments to establish a cross-boundary, permanent body that includes all aspects of agriculture performing a coordinating role with a view to accelerate global climate action in support of farmers and their organizations of all types and sizes.
Farmers are the key to unlocking inclusive, equitable, sustainable and resilient food systems and economies. It is time for action, and we are ready to work with governments and other stakeholders for a successful outcome in Sharm El-Sheikh.