Small scale farmers receive only 0.12% of total international public climate finance in Bangladesh: Report

Small-scale family farmers produce a third (32%) of the world's food yet only 0.3% of international climate finance was spent helping them adapt in 2021. 

A new analysis released today by Family Farmers Alliance found that small scale farmers receive only 0.12% of total international public climate finance in Bangladesh, reads a press release.

The report represented that over 35 million small-scale producers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific, is being released ahead of COP28 which is set to agree a Global Goal for Adaptation. The UAE Presidency is also urging governments to include food and agriculture in national climate plans for the first time and scale up finance for food system transformation. 

The analysis of international public finance for climate mitigation and adaptation was conducted by Climate Focus. The agri-food sector received $8.4billion in international public climate finance – around half the $16 billion spent on. Just 2% of international public climate finance ($2 billion) was directed at small-scale family farmers and rural communities – equivalent to around 0.3% of total international climate finance from both public and private sources.  

The report also highlighted that 4% out of total international public climate finance received by Bangladesh, spent on food and agriculture to support sustainable and resilient practices. Among them, only 2.6% have been received by small holder and rural communities in Bangladesh. 

Many family farmers lack the infrastructure, technology and resources to adapt to climate impacts with serious implications for global food security and rural economies. Family farms of less than two hectares produce a third of the world's food (32%) while farms of 5 hectares or less account for more than half of the global production of 9 staple crops - rice, peanut, cassava, millet, wheat, potato, maize, barley and rye - and grow almost three-quarters of the coffee and 90% of the cocoa. Over 2.5 billion people globally depend on family farms for their livelihoods.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says the most effective way to safeguard food security is to shift to more nature friendly and diverse food systems. Family farmers are at the forefront of these efforts. For example, in the Pacific farmers are planting breadfruit trees alongside other crops as it is drought resistant, seldom uprooted by storms and cyclones and produces a nutritious staple food crop.

Alberto Broch, president of the Confederation of Family Producer Organizations of Expanded Mercosur, COPROFAM said: "Our message to governments is clear:  More than 600 million family farms are already engaged in building more sustainable and resilient food systems. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience that must be tapped. By including their voices in decision-making and ensuring direct access to more climate finance, we can create a powerful alliance in the fight against climate change."

Esther Penunia, Secretary General of the Asian Farmers Association said: "Generations of family farming experience and the latest scientific evidence tell us that working with nature and empowering local communities is key to safeguarding food production in a changing climate.  There needs to be a major re-think of climate finance to support these tried and tested climate solutions with much more finance targeted at family farmers and sustainable practices such as agroecology."