Belém, Brazil – At COP30, agricultural transformation and climate resilience have taken centre stage as AGRA co-hosted Growing Innovations – a landmark partnership event bringing together the Gates Foundation, Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Embrapa, AIM for Scale, CGIAR, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), and the United Arab Emirates.
The event, held at the AgriZone in Belém, Brazil, provided a powerful platform to showcase affordable, climate-smart agricultural innovations developed by and for farmers.
Running throughout COP30, the Agricultural Innovation Showcase features technologies and practices aimed at boosting productivity, reducing emissions, and helping farmers adapt to the escalating impacts of climate change.
A major highlight of the gathering was the announcement of $2.8 billion (KSh 361.8 billion) in new global commitments to advance farmer adaptation and resilience.
This funding marks a significant step towards closing the climate finance gap for smallholder farmers, who are on the front lines of food insecurity and environmental change.
During the high-level event, participants emphasised that innovation must be farmer-centred, scalable, and inclusive.
“This commitment demonstrates that the world is listening to farmers and investing in their ingenuity. It is a step towards ensuring that adaptation finance truly reaches those who feed the world,” said an AGRA representative.
Adding to the celebratory tone, the World Broadband Association (WBBA) honoured the State Department for its pivotal role in helping Nairobi achieve Bronze Gigacity status.
The WBBA’s Director General commended the Kenyan government for revising building codes to require fibre-ready infrastructure in all new developments – a move expected to expand digital access dramatically.
Thousands of units under the Affordable Housing Programme have already been connected, with all future projects set to include fibre broadband.
This dual recognition – of agricultural innovation and digital infrastructure – reflects a growing consensus at COP30: sustainable development demands both technological connectivity and climate-smart solutions.
As world leaders and partners continue discussions in Belém, Growing Innovations stands out as a beacon of collaboration, resilience, and hope for farmers worldwide.
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