Commonwealth Secretariat and Nigeria Address Food Security and Climate Finance Challenges

Over 80 experts participated in a roundtable at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, focusing on the critical intersection of food security and climate finance. The discussions highlighted urgent challenges faced by vulnerable nations, underscored the importance of innovative solutions, and recognized the complexities of navigating the agricultural landscape. Participants aimed to develop holistic strategies to address systemic issues, improve data collection, and enhance climate-smart agricultural practices.

This week, over 80 experts convened at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London for a Roundtable on Climate Finance and Food Security, hosted in collaboration with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science & Technology. The goal was to address the critical overlap between food security and climate finance amidst reductions in global development funding.

Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt. Hon Patricia Scotland KC, expressed the urgency of the situation in a pre-recorded message, highlighting the existential nature of food security and climate finance. She emphasized the inadequate pace of climate finance in relation to climate change and the disproportionate rules in development funding that hinder vulnerable nations.

Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, led discussions on integrating innovation, climate finance, and food security through the lens of Nigeria’s agricultural context. He noted that while agriculture is crucial for Nigeria’s economy, significant challenges prevail, such as deforestation in the south and desertification in the north, complicating food security efforts.

Participants learned that simply cultivating crops does not guarantee food security; crop nutrition is essential. The expansion of tobacco farming in East Africa illustrates the disconnect between land use and nutritional output. Experts discussed the complex interrelationships between climate change, land, health, and nutrition during breakout sessions focused on climate-smart agricultural practices.

The discussions included elements like carbon credits, described as a complex “maze,” and suggestions for improving food production quality by incorporating soil health indicators on food labels. Attendees acknowledged the difficulty of cross-departmental collaboration—a necessary strategy for enhancing food security and accessing climate finance, which requires usable data.

Digitalization was recognized as a necessary approach to scaling climate-smart agriculture, with an emphasis on capacity building and the establishment of a national framework for data exchange. Such a framework would address current inefficiencies due to conflicting national statistics and duplicated efforts.

The outcomes from the roundtable pointed towards a holistic approach for national food systems and addressing broader continental challenges. These included enhanced soil and water management, improved production systems, and better storage solutions, alongside calls for comprehensive data collection regarding weather patterns and post-harvest losses.

Market access, equitable distribution of climate finance, and the promotion of clean cooking methods were also essential topics. The Commonwealth Secretariat intends to leverage these discussions to inform cross-sectoral programs and replicate successful models from the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, which is now in its tenth year.

The Roundtable on Climate Finance and Food Security addressed the urgent need for integrated solutions to the intertwined crises of food security and climate change. Participants emphasized the necessity of innovative approaches, coordinated data exchange, and holistic policy frameworks to enhance resilience in vulnerable communities. The outcomes from this gathering aim to inform strategic actions that prioritize sustainability and equitable access to resources across the Commonwealth.

Original Source: thecommonwealth.org