On October 9, the Advocacy, Policy and Partnerships Lead of the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), Luisa Volpe, represented the global farmers’ voice at the High-level Briefing “The Important Role of Agrifood Systems Across the Rio Convention Conference of Parties to the United Nations CBD, UNFCCC, and UNCCD.”
Jointly organised by the FAO Liaison Offices in Brussels, Geneva, and New York, along with the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Environment (OCB) and the Land and Water Division (NSL), this briefing provided an opportunity for key stakeholders, including representatives from the Rio Convention Conferences (the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity – CBD, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – UNFCCC, and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification – UNCCD), to discuss the significance of agrifood systems in addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation.
The event aimed to highlight the role of agrifood sectors in the upcoming CBD COP16, UNFCCC COP29, and UNCCD COP16; explore how the FAO can assist member countries in achieving their national biodiversity, climate, and land degradation targets; and provide a platform for the COP Presidencies and other key stakeholders to share their perspectives on the contributions of agrifood systems to the conference agendas and their priorities for action.
In her intervention, Ms Volpe emphasised WFO’s unique role in representing farmers’ interests in negotiations. She detailed WFO’s ongoing efforts to serve as a crucial voice for farmers and actively engage in COP Climate and COP Biodiversity discussions, as well as to ensure farmer representation in the UNCCD COP.
Additionally, she pointed out the urgent need for greater farmer involvement in developing revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the Paris Agreement, highlighting a significant gap in participation—while 85% of submitted NDCs addressed agriculture, only 15% involved farmers’ organisations in the co-design process.
Furthermore, she passionately advocated for increased access to climate finance for farmers, underscoring the need for tailored financial mechanisms that reflect the agricultural sector’s critical role in climate change.
Ultimately, a WFO representative urged government representatives to foster convergence in negotiations, aligning diverse visions into a cohesive, long-term agenda for sustainable food systems that address climate change and promote biodiversity conservation.
Looking ahead, WFO remains committed to elevating the voices of farmers in global policy processes and multilateral fora, ensuring that the upcoming COP negotiations reflect a comprehensive approach to sustainable food systems toward a resilient future for both our planet and the farming communities that sustain it.
A recording of the briefing is available for viewing: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k11/k11lu9bd30.