Key Takeaways:
- Four-year, $1.4 billion investment announced at COP30 in Belém, Brazil
- Funding will expand access to climate adaptation innovations for farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia
- Focus areas include digital advisory services, climate-resilient crops, and soil health innovations
- Builds on partnerships such as AIM for Scale and TomorrowNow to strengthen rural food systems
- Reflects global collaboration to prioritize adaptation for food, livelihoods, and health
Strengthening Resilience in Agriculture
The Gates Foundation announced a $1.4 billion, four-year commitment to advance climate adaptation and help smallholder farmers build resilience to extreme weather. The announcement, made during COP30 in Belém, Brazil, highlights the need for locally driven adaptation solutions as climate threats intensify across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation, said, “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.”
Addressing the Climate Adaptation Funding Gap
Farmers in low-income countries produce one-third of the world’s food but remain disproportionately affected by climate shocks. Despite this, less than 1% of global climate finance is directed toward food system adaptation. The foundation’s investment seeks to bridge this gap, protecting livelihoods and maintaining progress against poverty.
Research from the World Bank suggests that targeted adaptation investments could increase GDP by up to 15 percentage points in some regions by 2050, while the World Resources Institute estimates that every dollar invested in adaptation could generate more than $10 in economic and social benefits within a decade.
“Climate adaptation is not just a development issue—it’s an economic and moral imperative,” said Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation. “This new commitment builds on our support for farmers who are already innovating to withstand extreme weather. But they can’t do it alone—governments and the private sector must work together to prioritize adaptation alongside mitigation.”
Scaling Farmer-Led Innovation
The foundation will direct its new funding toward scaling proven, farmer-led approaches to strengthen food systems under climate stress.
Key initiatives include:
- Digital advisory services: Mobile tools that provide tailored weather, planting, and risk management advice, including expansion of the AIM for Scale initiative, which aims to reach 100 million farmers globally by 2030.
- Climate-resilient crops and livestock: Varieties that can withstand drought, heat, and pests while improving yields and nutrition.
- Soil health innovations: Technologies that restore degraded land, boost productivity, and cut emissions, supported by a $30 million partnership with the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
Expanding Global Partnerships
The new funding builds on partnerships launched under the Gates Foundation’s COP27 commitments. Notable examples include:
- AIM for Scale: Delivered AI-powered SMS weather forecasts to 40 million farmers across 13 Indian states in 2025.
- TomorrowNow and KALRO: Provided hyper-local weather alerts to over 5 million Kenyan farmers, with plans to expand into Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia.
Wanjeri Mbugua, CEO of TomorrowNow, said, “We’ve seen what’s possible when smallholder farmers have access to the right tools and resources—they adapt faster than anyone. With the right investment and strong partnerships, we can put powerful, data-driven solutions directly in farmers’ hands.”
Collaboration at COP30
The commitment aligns with the priorities of COP30, emphasizing inclusive and farmer-centered climate adaptation. In collaboration with Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Embrapa, AGRA, AIM for Scale, CGIAR, CAAS, FARA, and the UAE, the Gates Foundation will co-host the Agricultural Innovation Showcase on November 10.
The event will spotlight climate-smart agricultural solutions designed for and by farmers, reinforcing how adaptation can promote equitable growth and sustainable food systems.
1 Comment