By Milliam Murigi
CGIAR, an international agricultural research network, has received more than USD 142 million in new pledges from its funders, boosting efforts to advance agricultural research and innovation for a climate-resilient future.
The commitments were announced during the Agricultural Innovation Showcase at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP30) in Brazil, hosted by Embrapa and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The United Kingdom, Denmark, and Belgium reaffirmed their support for CGIAR’s mission of uniting research, policy, and finance innovations to close the adaptation finance gap. The UK pledged GBP 76 million (USD100), Denmark USD 18.5 million, and Belgium EUR 16 million (USD18.6).
Canada also committed 8 million Canadian dollars (USD5.8) to advance CGIAR’s partner-led research on reducing agricultural emissions while building resilient, equitable land, water, and food systems that support climate adaptation for rural farmers on the frontlines of the agricultural crisis.
“We are deeply grateful for the generous investment in our research today,” said Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR, “Agricultural innovation is central to how the world can adapt, mitigate, and thrive amid a climate crisis. This funding will enable us to continue generating the evidence-based data that countries need to build the business case for adaptation, while ensuring that our partner-led science delivers measurable impact across food, land, and water systems.”
A key focus of COP30 is the shift towards approaches that track climate action – guiding adaptation finance and turning climate commitments into country-level progress. Key to this effort is the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), a framework that evaluates real-world climate risks and offers relevant solutions. Through its partner-led research, CGIAR provides evidence-based data that countries need to set GGA indicators and measure progress, in turn attracting and aligning finance to support smallholder resilience.
“The climate and nature crisis is increasingly putting global food supplies under pressure, “ said Ruth Davis OBE, UK Special Representative for Nature. “This is why the UK and our partners are backing CGIAR to develop new agricultural technologies. The UK’s investment in the CGIAR to date has helped millions of farmers to increase the resilience of their crops to drought and disease and contributed to the food security of millions of people.”
CGIAR’s partner-led research provides a return of $10 for every $1 invested, making agricultural R&D one of the most cost-effective solutions to global challenges. Yet global funding for agricultural R&D is declining just when it is most urgently needed. Despite producing one-third of the world’s food, agriculture receives only 1.7 percent of climate finance, mostly focused on crisis response rather than the science and innovation that can address the root causes of hunger and poverty.
“The climate crisis affects us all and agri-science is one of the critical drivers for resilient and inclusive food systems globally,” said Jacob Jensen, Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries. “Therefore, we are proud to commit to the scaling of CGIAR’s partner-led agricultural innovations for the next four years, supporting farmers in the Global South, including small-scale farmers, as they are the most vulnerable.”
CGIAR brings together hundreds of donors and partners across more than a dozen international research centers, all united by the belief that science can solve the most pressing challenges facing agriculture and rural livelihoods today. With operations in over 80 countries, mainly in the Global South, CGIAR continues to scale proven technologies by co-developing agricultural innovation alongside partners, countries, and farming communities.
We are committed to advancing research and development in agricultural innovation,” said Amb. Willem Van de Voorde, Special Envoy for Climate and Environment, Belgium. “Sustainable food systems are a vital tool in tackling global food and nutrition insecurity and strengthening the livelihoods of the millions of smallholder farmers who feed the world’s growing population.”
Partnerships remain central to ensuring CGIAR’s research responds to specific real-world challenges and strengthens countries’ adaptation targets. CGIAR’s partner network of national research institutes, governments, the private sector, farmers’ organizations, and civil society drives innovation and accelerates the scale-up of proven solutions that reach millions of smallholder farmers and vulnerable populations worldwide.
“Our collective future depends on the action we take to protect the environment and equip regions of the world that are disproportionately affected by climate change. By working globally and in partnership, we can build a sustainable world, one that ensures greater security, prosperity, and well-being for Canadians and people around the world alike,” said Honourable Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State (International Development), Canada.
Backed by renewed support from funders, CGIAR will continue to embrace new technologies from digital agriculture and artificial intelligence to biotechnology and remote sensing to strengthen local science capacity and drive measurable innovation that helps harness science and partnerships to build a future where agriculture is productive, resilient, equitable, and sustainable.