Europe and Central Asia accelerating climate action in agrifood sector

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan, convened a regional workshop on “Enhancing climate action in agriculture in Europe and Central Asia” to support national governments in the region to prepare for the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that will be held in November this year. 

Starting today, national UNFCCC focal points and officials from relevant agencies involved in climate negotiations, mitigation policies, and adaptation actions, particularly in the agricultural sector, from countries in Europe and Central Asia, gathered for three days to build their capacity to effectively integrate agrifood systems perspectives into national strategies and international climate negotiations, positioning them at the forefront of discussions at the upcoming COP29. 

The Minister of Agriculture of Azerbaijan, Majnun Mammadov, opened the workshop, emphasizing the pivotal role of agrifood systems in addressing climate change. The Minister mentioned that Azerbaijan will host COP29 in November, and the meeting is expected to play an important role in developing national tools, capacity and systems to align agricultural and environmental policies with international best practices and standards. It will also provide a forum for technological exchange and take-up innovations in Azerbaijan.

With a strong focus on topics related to agriculture and food systems, FAO experts and invited speakers will equip country representatives with tools and strategies for effectively engaging in UNFCCC and COP29 negotiations, integrating agrifood systems solutions into climate solutions, and for facilitating the transformation of agrifood system to be more sustainable, effective and resilient. Participants will also receive detailed insights into the enhanced transparency framework, climate finance, the Framework for Global Goal on Adaptation, Mitigation Work Programme, and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. 

"As the work on preparations for COP29 gathers momentum, FAO collaborates closely with relevant national stakeholders to provide technical expertise and knowledge to support Azerbaijan's negotiation of the agenda items related to food and agriculture," said Nasar Hayat, FAO Representative in Azerbaijan. "We will continue to assist Azerbaijan and the COP29 Presidency in setting priorities and incorporating solutions for agrifood systems into their initiatives and declarations." 

As climate finance is a key driver of agrifood systems transformation, the workshop will also introduce the Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation (FAST) Initiative and Partnership, which seeks to increase climate finance contributions to transform agriculture and food systems by 2030. Key topics will include climate finance for agricultural transformation, with briefings on opportunities from the Green Climate Fund, Global Environment Facility, and other sources. Additionally, the COP29 Presidency initiative, "Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers," will be presented.

"We urge countries and financial institutions to deepen their commitment to green and climate finance," stated Leyla Jabbarlı, Deputy Chairperson, Agro Credit and Development Agency under the Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan. "Increasing investments in these critical areas is essential for addressing our environmental challenges and ensuring the enduring sustainability of our agriculture and natural ecosystems."

The workshop will also present an overview of the upcoming Policy Analysis of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) in the Europe and Central Asia region to enable countries to move forward with the integration of agricultural sectors and food systems in NDCs.  

“As countries prepare to submit revised national climate action plans by 2025, which include their updated NDCs, FAO’s Policy Analysis provides essential guidance, resources, and tools to support countries in strengthening their commitments and targets for COP29, with a specific focus on agriculture and agrifood systems,” explained Evetta Zenina, FAO Natural Resources.