A farm ./ PHOTO ; Pexel
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a new $1.4 billion, four-year commitment to accelerate climate adaptation for smallholder farmers supporting millions of people whose livelihoods and food security are increasingly threatened by climate change.
The pledge, unveiled at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, comes amid global calls for locally led adaptation strategies that protect vulnerable communities from worsening droughts, floods, and rising temperatures.
The new investment will help expand access to proven innovations across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where agriculture remains the backbone of rural economies yet receives less than 1% of global climate finance.
“Smallholder farmers are feeding their communities under the toughest conditions imaginable,” said Bill Gates, chair of the foundation.
“By equipping them with tools and resources to adapt, we’re investing not just in their survival but in the resilience of the global food system.”
Bridging the Adaptation Finance Gap
Despite producing roughly a third of the world’s food, farmers in low- and middle-income countries remain on the frontlines of climate shocks.
The World Bank estimates that targeted investments in adaptation could raise GDP by as much as 15 percentage points in developing regions by 2050, while the World Resources Institute projects that every dollar invested could yield over $10 in economic and social benefits within a decade.
“Adaptation is an economic and moral imperative,” said Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation.
“We’re building on years of work with African and Asian partners who are already innovating for climate resilience, but it will take joint action from governments and the private sector to close the funding gap.”
Scaling Farmer-Led Innovation
The foundation’s new commitment will scale farmer-driven, evidence-based solutions that strengthen food systems and safeguard livelihoods against extreme weather. Key focus areas include:
- Digital advisory services: Expanding mobile and AI-driven platforms that deliver real-time weather data and farming advice. The AIM for Scale initiative aims to reach 100 million farmers globally by 2030.
- Climate-resilient crops and livestock: Supporting the development of drought- and heat-tolerant varieties that improve yields and nutrition.
- Soil health innovations: Investing in sustainable land restoration and carbon-smart practices through partnerships such as the $30 million collaboration with the Novo Nordisk Foundation to advance soil research.
The Gates Foundation’s recent initiatives are already making an impact.
In India, AIM for Scale has provided AI-powered weather forecasts to nearly 40 million farmers across 13 states, while in Kenya, a partnership between TomorrowNow and KALRO is delivering hyper-local weather alerts to over 5 million farmers, reducing losses and improving yields.
Expansion plans are underway in Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia.
Collaboration for Global Impact
This new investment reflects a broader global shift toward integrating food, livelihoods, and health into climate resilience planning, an approach strongly backed by African leaders and Brazil’s COP30 presidency.
Brazil’s success in linking social protection programs with sustainable agricultural innovation offers a model for inclusive adaptation.
At COP30, the Gates Foundation will co-host the Agricultural Innovation Showcase with Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Embrapa, AGRA, AIM for Scale, CGIAR, the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), and the United Arab Emirates.
The showcase featuring a high-level dialogue and a physical exhibition on November 10 will spotlight scalable, affordable climate-smart technologies designed for and by farmers.
Through these partnerships, the Gates Foundation aims to ensure that smallholder farmers, who contribute so much to feeding the world, can thrive in a warming climate and continue to drive economic growth and resilience across their regions.
About the Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives.
In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions that enable people to take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential.
In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone, especially those with the fewest resources, has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life.
Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.
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