Under the UNFCCC's Sharm el-Sheikh Joint Work on Implementation of Climate Action on Agriculture and Food Security (SJW) - a four-year program launched at COP27 - countries are moving from dialogue towards delivery. Midway through this program, COP30 in Belém is a pivotal checkpoint. Why? Agriculture, which sustains billions of livelihoods and contributes significantly to emissions, must become part of the climate solution. The joint work was established to ensure that discussions on farming and food systems translate into tangible climate action. Over the past year, global workshops and consultations have zeroed in on exactly that. For instance, at the Bonn conference in June 2025 (SB62), Parties convened an in-session workshop on "systemic and holistic approaches to implementation of climate action on agriculture, food systems and food security", exploring how to integrate climate responses into national plans. These discussions recognize that tackling agriculture's climate challenges requires breaking silos - linking farm-level adaptation with national policies, and bridging ministries of agriculture, environment, and finance. As negotiations commence at COP30, there's a shared sense that we have enough plans; now it's time for concrete support and implementation on the ground.

CGIAR actively contributed to the agriculture track through three key submissions in 2023: the Joint Submission FLW_SSJW, Joint submission - Elements of the SSJW_27 03 23, and the Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems Submission. At COP29, Parties adopted conclusions from the agriculture track, requesting further development of the online portal to share climate action initiatives and policies on agriculture and food security.

Another submission by CGIAR's International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) on Systemic and Holistic Approaches to Implementation of Climate Action on Agriculture, Food Systems and Food Security, Understanding, Cooperation and Integration into Plans further recommended incorporating the integral role of livestock in systemic approaches to climate action within agriculture and food systems, particularly in low- and middle-income contexts as a workshop topic.

What to Watch at COP30

CGIAR will be closely watching how COP30 propels the joint work from talk to action. A key expected outcome is a decision giving the SSJW a clear roadmap for its remaining year(through COP31 in 2026). This likely includes agreeing on new support structures - for example, improving the knowledge-sharing portal or technical assistance network under the joint work. CGIAR supports such moves that can accelerate learning across countries (imagine a platform where a successful drought insurance scheme in Africa can be quickly learned and replicated in Asia). However, CGIAR also underscores building on what exists: leveraging and strengthening existing mechanisms like the UNFCCC's constituted bodies (e.g. the Adaptation Committee or Technology Mechanism) to channel support to agriculture. An encouraging sign out of the June Bonn session (SB62) was broad consensus that the joint work should be tied more closely to finance, technology, capacity building, and even gender and just transition considerations. In Belém, Parties will share their views on these matters, the workshop report, and the plans for the upcoming workshop.

CGIAR will continue working with partners to provide support, science and solutions to the upcoming workshops, coordination and knowledge platforms, as farmers won't adopt climate-smart practices without financing and training, and climate policies won't succeed if they ignore social equity. CGIAR stands ready to support turning those commitments into reality, ensuring that the joint work's legacy is a climate-smart, food-secure world.