OPEC Fund and CGIAR sign agreement to advance food security and climate adaptation

June 17, 2026: The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) and CGIAR, a global agrifood research network, have signed a cooperation agreement to develop investment-ready programs in climate-resilient agriculture, sustainable food value chains, climate risk management and rural resilience. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Islamic Development Bank Group Annual Meetings by OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa and CGIAR Executive Managing Director Ismahane Elouafi.

OPEC Fund President Alkhalifa said: "This agreement combines CGIAR's scientific and technical expertise with the OPEC Fund's financing capacity and country partnerships. Our joint focus is on developing practical, scalable programs that strengthen food systems, support rural communities and improve climate resilience. Today's agreement is a powerful renewal of a partnership that goes back many years and has yielded very successful results."

CGIAR Executive Managing Director Ismahane Elouafi added: "By bringing together CGIAR's world-class science capacity and the OPEC Fund's catalytic financing and convening power we can accelerate innovation, scale impact and transform research into solutions for the countries and communities that need them most."

The agreement will support the operationalization of the OPEC Fund's Food Security and Climate Adaptation Facility, which supports projects in climate-resilient agriculture, water management, stronger food value chains, early-warning systems and rural infrastructure. CGIAR will serve as a strategic technical partner, supporting project identification, technical review, program design, country engagement and implementation.

The OPEC Fund and CGIAR will identify priority countries, develop national and regional programs and work to mobilize additional financing from development institutions and philanthropic partners. To date, the OPEC Fund has provided CGIAR with technical assistance grants for almost US$25 million.

About the OPEC Fund

The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is the only globally mandated development institution that provides financing from member countries to non-member countries exclusively. The organization works in cooperation with developing country partners and the international development community to stimulate economic growth and social progress in low- and middle-income countries around the world. The OPEC Fund was established in 1976 with a distinct purpose: to drive development, strengthen communities and empower people. Our work is people-centered, focusing on financing projects that meet essential needs, such as food, energy, infrastructure, employment (particularly relating to MSMEs), clean water and sanitation, healthcare and education. To date, the OPEC Fund has committed more than US$32 billion to development projects in over 125 countries with an estimated total project cost of more than US$240 billion. The OPEC Fund is rated AA+/Outlook Stable by Fitch and AA+, Outlook Stable by S&P. Our vision is a world where sustainable development is a reality for all.

About CGIAR

CGIAR is the world's largest publicly funded agriculture research network. For over 50 years, we have generated research and innovation to support food security across more than 70 countries. Our work helps farmers and food systems adapt to climate change, conflict and economic instability, so that fewer people face hunger and fewer livelihoods are lost to a changing climate.