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The season of major global meetings saw Kenya in the limelight last week during the historic first Africa Climate Week and Summit that shone a light of optimism for the troubled continent and its peoples.

A new UN review coinciding with the summit reveals that addressing climate change and sustainable development requires substantial capital mobilisation to tackle Africas multiple crises – extreme poverty, climate change and food and nutrition insecurity.

Africa’s situation is compounded by climate change, Covid-19, conflicts, inflation and debt, and the food crisis. The crucial agricultural sector, which sustains livelihoods, faces a $30 billion loss due to extreme weather.

Emerging markets and developing economies (excluding China) need to invest an incremental $1.3 trillion by 2025 and $3.5 trillion by 2039 in critical areas – health and education, sustainable infrastructure, adaptation and sustainable agriculture.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) states that investments in agriculture is up to three times more effective in reducing poverty than investing in other sectors. These investments are essential to meeting development challenges, and to achieve sustainable development and climate goals.

The ‘Nairobi Declaration’ at Climate Week’s closure is considered to have produced positive results for the continent, particularly on food security ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai in November.   Climate Week coincided with the Africa Food Systems Forum in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where the continent’s leading thinkers, policymakers and innovators explored the latest breakthroughs and best practices in agriculture and food systems transformation amid the climate crisis.

Kilimo Trust, a not-for-profit organisation that works closely with the East African Community Secretariat, launched its five-year 2023-2028 strategic plan targeting 1.5 million farmers at the forum.

The plan is aligned with seven Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, gender equality, decent work and economic growth and industry, innovation and infrastructure, and climate action.

It builds on lessons learned in sustainable agricultural practices to equip the region’s agriculture sector with timely information and cutting-edge innovations in mitigating the effects of climate change. At last week’s Climate Summit, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the African Union Commission and the African Development Bank (AfDB) launched the Climate for Development in Africa (ClimDev-Africa) phase II business plan.  The initiative aims at fostering a common and coordinated response to climate change in Africa. AfDB has also unveiled the Africa Climate Risk Insurance Facility for adaptation aimed at insulating countries against catastrophic weather-related events.

It will develop insurance to especially help African countries’ agricultural sectors to prepare for, adapt and build resilience against adverse effects of climate change such as flooding and drought. The facility expects raise an initial $1 billion of concessionary high-risk capital and grants.

AfDB is also investing in climate-resilient agriculture technologies with a focus on youth engagement, including $1 billion for the Youth Adapt programme and support for youth entrepreneurship banks.

Last weekend, the African Union was admitted to the G20, a collection of 20 of the world’s largest economies formed in 1999. The move allows the continent to make an effective contribution in helping the world to collectively meet global challenges.

The bloc was conceived to bring together the most important industrialised and developing countries to discuss international economic and financial stability.

Looked at from the lens of the climate crisis, there is light at the end of the tunnel for Africa.

— The writer comments on climate change and agriculture—[email protected]