Message 7: “Financing for both mitigation and adaptation must be part of climate change policies. Recent developments are positive: improvements in the Global Environment Facility’s strategy and an increase in financing stemming from ‘fast start’ finance are helping increase funding towards climate-smart agriculture. But more needs to be done. It is essential that the new Green Climate Fund (GCF) provides specific, stable, and long-term support to adaptation and mitigation in agriculture, with specific efforts targeted at women farmers and youth in agriculture.”
The links below are to videos of key influential spokespersons providing statements that could be used to support or endorse the key message 7 of this guide/toolkit.
Can Farmers Lead in Tackling Climate Change? – Don McCabe, SCCC
“There are links between lowering greenhouse gas emissions and food security because they are both part of the same carbon cycle. Farmers are identified as 10% of the problem, but they can be 20% of the solution if they are given the right rules.”
Views on Smallholder Farming in Mozambique with Teresa Sumbane
“Before the older generations understood the weather perfectly. They knew in which month you should plough the land, but now you cannot rely on the seasons. You can expect it to rain one month, wait to plough the land and then the rain never comes.”
A donor’s view on climate solutions in agriculture – Sam Bickersteth, DfID
“There is opportunity to address the impacts of climate change on poor people by supporting farmers. DfID is keen to work with smallholder farmers and bigger commercial agricultural organisations to develop a sustainable intensification of agricultural production.”
Innovating for Sustainable Agriculture in Brazil
“We need to move Brazilian agriculture towards sustainability.”
Putting a Price on Land Degradation with Ephraim Nkonya
“Niger loses around 10% GDP because of land degradation from problems such as over grazing.”
“Laws changed to give farmers ownership of trees – this gave them an incentive to protect them.”
IFAD: Putting Smallholder Farmers First
“Even if you believe that large scale farming were the only approach the reality is a lot of the land is in the hands of smallholder farmers.”
The FAO’s view on Investing in Smallholder Farmers with Hafez Ghanem
“It is easier to implement new technologies with large scale farms, it is very important for us to work with smallholder farmers to help them implement technologies and link them with markets.”
Agri-ProFocus – Engaging with Stakeholders to Empower Farmers – The Economist 2013
“Access to financial services is one of the basic inputs for a good farm and a farming business.”
“There is a coalition of Ugandan stakeholders and the government has even created a committee to make sure this happens.”
Financing Sustainable Agriculture with Carel van der Hamsvoort
“Governments needs to create an environment for companies to invest in.”
Pro-Poor Investment in Agriculture with Kanyo F. Nwanze
“The weakest link is government input and investment.”