Key Takeaways
- The Gates Foundation committed $1.4 billion over four years to expand climate adaptation tools for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
- Climate-resilient crops, digital advisory services, soil health innovations, and weather intelligence systems will be scaled under the new initiative.
- The foundation also unveiled a five-year, $500 million strategic partnership with the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) to support health, climate-resilient agriculture, and education.
- Investments build on progress from COP27 pledges and existing collaborations including AIM for Scale, TomorrowNow, and CGIAR programs.
- Combined efforts aim to strengthen food security, support smallholder farmers, and mobilize global partners to address climate volatility and poverty.
Gates Foundation Launches Major Climate Adaptation Investment at COP30
At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the Gates Foundation announced a four-year, $1.4 billion commitment to help smallholder farmers adapt to extreme weather conditions. The investment targets regions most exposed to climate volatility, including sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where agricultural livelihoods are under increasing pressure from droughts, floods, and rising temperatures.
Bill Gates emphasized the importance of farmer-focused adaptation: “Smallholder farmers are feeding their communities under the toughest conditions imaginable. We’re supporting their ingenuity with the tools and resources to help them thrive—because investing in their resilience is one of the smartest, most impactful things we can do for people and the planet.”
Gates Foundation Support Aims to Close the Global Climate Adaptation Gap
Research from the World Bank and World Resources Institute highlights the economic returns of adaptation investments, yet less than 1% of global climate finance currently supports smallholder agriculture. Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation, stated that adaptation remains “an economic and moral imperative,” calling for greater public-private collaboration to protect food systems and rural livelihoods.
The new financing expands evidence-backed innovations such as:
Digital Advisory Services
Tools including SMS-based weather alerts, mobile apps, and risk-management platforms—building on AIM for Scale’s ambition to reach 100 million farmers by 2030.
Climate-Resilient Crops and Livestock
Varieties bred to withstand heat, drought, and emerging pests while improving yields.
Soil Health and Land Restoration
Technologies that improve soil function and reduce emissions, supported in part by a $30 million collaboration with the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
Scaling Partnerships Across Africa, Asia, and Latin America
The Gates Foundation commitment reinforces several high-impact partnerships launched at COP27 and expanded since:
AIM for Scale
Delivered AI-powered monsoon forecasts to nearly 40 million farmers across India during the 2025 season.
TomorrowNow and Kenya’s KALRO
Providing hyper-local weather intelligence to over 5 million farmers in Kenya, with expansion to additional African countries.
Wanjeri Mbugua, CEO of TomorrowNow, observed that smallholder farmers rapidly adopt new tools when given access to actionable information: “With the right investment and strong partnerships, we can put powerful, data-driven solutions directly in farmers’ hands.”
Gates Foundation and QFFD Launch $500M Strategic Partnership
In a parallel announcement at the Doha Forum, the Gates Foundation and the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) revealed a five-year commitment of $500 million. The partnership will support global health programs, climate-resilient agriculture, and educational initiatives across Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Bill Gates described the collaboration as essential for scaling practical innovation to communities that need it most. QFFD leadership emphasized the role of innovative financing mechanisms—including concessional loans, guarantees, and equity instruments—in delivering impact at scale.
This new agreement builds on earlier collaborations such as:
- Nanmo: climate-adaptive agricultural tools for farmers in sub-Saharan Africa
- Doha Global South Health Policy Initiative: capacity-building for public health institutions
- Aquaculture and nutrition programs supporting livelihoods and food security
A Global Push to Center Agriculture in Climate Adaptation Planning
Together with Brazil, African leaders, CGIAR, AGRA, Embrapa, CAAS, FARA, the UAE, and other partners, the Gates Foundation will co-host the Agricultural Innovation Showcase at COP30. The event will highlight practical, affordable climate-smart solutions and strengthen cooperation around food system resilience.
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