Day 11:  Transforming Food, Agriculture, and Water: Key Highlights from COP28

As we enter the last few days of COP28, crucial decisions were made regarding food, agriculture and water on December 10, the eleventh day.

Introduction:

COP28’s Food, Agriculture, and Water Day witnessed significant developments and collaborations aimed at addressing the pressing issues surrounding global food systems, agriculture, and water resources. The event was marked by the launch of a pivotal initiative and the participation of numerous countries in the Freshwater Challenge, reflecting a collective commitment to transformative actions.

Call to Action for Transforming Food Systems:

Overview: Over 200 diverse Non-State Actors joined forces to launch a ‘Call to Action for Transforming Food Systems for People, Nature, and Climate.’

Commitments: Signatories pledged to undertake ten priority actions to revolutionize food systems and advocated for time-bound, comprehensive, and global targets to be established by COP29 at the latest.

Leadership: UN High Level Champion for COP28, HE Razan Al Mubarak, led the initiative, emphasizing the critical need for immediate action on food systems. The Call to Action stressed support for farmers, frontline groups, and vulnerable communities, while acknowledging the importance of traditional knowledge held by Indigenous Peoples.

Freshwater Challenge:

Global Participation: More than 30 countries actively engaged in the Freshwater Challenge during the first COP Ministerial on freshwater ecosystems.

Objectives: The Challenge, launched at the UN 2023 Water Conference, aims to restore a substantial portion of Earth’s degraded freshwater ecosystems — specifically, over 300,000 km of rivers and 350 million hectares of wetlands by 2030, constituting approximately 30% of the total.

AIM for Climate Event:

Event Overview: The ‘AIM for Climate: Scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems Innovation’ event showcased advancements in adopting and financing innovations.

Progress Display: The event spotlighted the progress achieved through the initiative’s platform, “Innovation Sprints,” contributing to the fulfillment of objectives outlined in the Paris Agreement and SDG2.

Initiative Focus: AIM for Climate, a collaborative initiative between the UAE and the US, is dedicated to combatting climate change and global hunger through increased investments in climate-smart agriculture and innovative food systems.

Water-Resilient Food Systems Partnership:

Launch: The COP28 Presidency inaugurated a two-year partnership on Water-Resilient Food Systems, hosted under the UNFCCC Climate-Resilient Food Systems Allowance.

Objective: This partnership is designed to assist countries in implementing commitments related to integrated water and food systems management, emphasizing the importance of resilience in the face of climate challenges.

In conclusion, COP28’s Food, Agriculture, and Water Day emerged as a platform where global leaders, organizations, and nations collaborated to address the interconnected challenges of food security, sustainable agriculture, and water resource management. The initiatives launched and commitments made underscore the collective determination to create a more sustainable and resilient future for people and the planet.