COP28: FAO and Italy strengthen collaboration on climate action in agriculture

Dubai - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Italy signed today a Letter of Intent aimed at strengthening their collaboration on climate action in agriculture.

The agreement, finalized  on the sidelines of UN Climate Change Conference COP28 by FAO Director-General QU Dongyu and the Italian Minister of Environment and Energy Security of Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, will focus on supporting the implementation of climate actions at global, national, and local levels, as well as at promoting the implementation of the FAO Climate Change Strategy and its Action Plan.

Signing the Letter of Intent, Director-General Qu Dongyu expressed his satisfaction in expanding FAO’s collaboration with Italy and added that the agreement reinforced the mutual conviction that agrifood system solutions are climate solutions, which also support small holder farmers.

Working together, he added, the two can leverage agrifood system solutions, including next generation climate smart agriculture; innovative climate finance; energy-smart agrifood systems; bioeconomy; knowledge transfer and capacity building; and stakeholder engagement.

Among the several initiatives foreseen in the agreement, FAO and Italy will work together to increase adaptation and resilience, promote mitigation and carbon sequestration, as well as accelerate other climate actions in specific regions such as the Middle East/North Africa (MENA), Africa, and Small Islands Developing States (SIDS).

The two parties will work together to strengthen global and regional climate policy and governance and to help countries’ capacities for climate planning and action, including scaling up climate action on the ground.

FAO and Italy will also set up a joint working committee to identify concrete initiatives in target countries in specific geographic areas such as the MENA Region, Africa and Small Islands Developing States.

The agreement was signed in the context of FAO’s support to Italy’s proposed “Rome Process” agreement, which seeks to develop and implement a five-year plan to boost growth, investments and sustainable development in countries where out-migration trends are greatest.

Climate change threatens our ability to ensure global food security, eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development. Climate change has both direct and indirect impacts on agrifood systems due to shifting and unpredictable rainfall patterns and temperatures, a higher incidence of extreme weather events and disasters such as drought, floods, outbreaks of pests and disease and ocean acidification.

FAO supports countries to adapt to climate change and to mitigate climate change by reducing or preventing greenhouse gas emissions, through its projects and programmes and a wide range ofknowledge products.