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CABI has partnered and shared its expertise in climate change policy planning during a workshop convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other partners on incorporating ambitious targets and strategies for NDC 3.0 to ensure that agrifood systems remain at the centre of all climate commitments.
A recent analysis by the FAO (2024) shows that 94 percent of countries have included climate action in their agrifood systems within their NDCs, recognizing the sector’s crucial roles in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing climate resilience.
The Asia-Pacific region accounts for a significant share of global agricultural emissions, making it crucial to include high ambition in their NDC 3.0 agrifood system targets. The region is keen to tackle key challenges such as methane emissions, deforestation, soil degradation, and water scarcity while promoting inclusive and equitable growth.
As the 2025 deadline for NDC 3.0 approaches, countries are looking for guidance to not only strengthen their plans but also dedicated support to implement their NDCs and NAPs.
Advancing Climate Ambition in the Agrifood Sector
Srijita Dasgupta, CABI’s Climate Change Expert, Asia, attended the workshop in Bangkok, Thailand, which focused on equipping countries with the knowledge, approaches and tools to enhance the agrifood sector’s contribution to NDCs and prepare effectively for COP30 negotiations.
It sought to provide guidance for countries on implementation and ambition targets for NDC 3.0, show harmonized support from development partners and deepen understanding of agrifood contributions to NDC 3.0, foster regional collaboration, and strengthen finance and technology access for agriculture and food systems.
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Srijita Dasgupta speaking at the workshop.
Ms. Dasgupta moderated the opening panel of the workshop that bought together representatives from development partners, the Asia Farmers Association (AFA) and Ministries of Agriculture of Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR and Vietnam to share insights on the progress of NDC 2.0 implementation and the priorities for NDC 3.0. In particular, the panel aimed to show opportunities for merging climate action within food system transformation pathways.
She also led the scoping exercise for developing an ambitious NDC 3.0, emphasizing the inclusion of smallholder farmers through practical climate-smart and nature-based solutions. This interactive session highlighted the commitments of 16 participating countries from Asia and the Pacific to expedite the implementation progress in this critical year.
A key aspect of NDC 3.0 is the integration of science-based and costed targets to attract investments and accelerate implementation. However, significant gaps remain in technical expertise, implementation pace, different capacities, institutional readiness, and most importantly, availability of finance.
On day 3 of the workshop, Ms. Dasgupta delivered a presentation on ‘UNFCCC Climate Policy Making Processes’ and together with Ms. Imelda Bacudo, FAO advisor, moderated a session on identifying joint common positions in the UNFCCC negotiations through a unified regional voice to take forward agrifood system priorities at a global scale.
Ms. Dasgupta said, “Countries in Asia and Pacific region have strong foundational understanding of the climatic co-existing hazards and to an extent, of the available technical solutions. Their intent on driving climate actions for sectoral transformations is strong and clear.
“However, there is still a disconnect between the policy frameworks and their implementation on ground to the scale that can drive the much need transformational changes. For instance, while policies emphasize climate-smart agriculture and nature-based solutions, farmers still face barriers such as limited financial support, lack of technical knowledge, and insufficient infrastructure to adopt these practices effectively. This is a complex process and unless this implementation gap is addressed, the actual impacts will remain unrealised.
“This is where development organizations such as CABI and other partner organizations for the workshop and beyond have crucial roles to play. There is a need to move away from fragmented approaches and work through partnerships to provide evidence-based research, knowledge portals and practical support to the farmers for a just and inclusive transition.”
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Delegates taking part in the workshop.
Knowledge into the hands of the world’s smallholder farmers
Dr Dennis Rangi, CABI’s Director General – Development, said in a recent thought leadership article that urgent action is needed to put knowledge into the hands of the world’s smallholder farmers so they can improve their livelihoods and achieve sustainable food security despite this challenge.
“We need to further build the capacity and extend the reach of extension services for smallholder farmers to ensure they have the data, knowledge and skills they need to be better prepared to monitor and mitigate the impacts on pests and diseases for instance, the threat of which is exacerbated by climate change,” he said.
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Srijita Dasgupta (second from right) with delegates.
The latest workshop in Bangkok was organized by the FAO in collaboration with partners: the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, the NDC Partnership, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Mekong Institute, CABI, and the ASEAN Climate Resilience Network (ASEAN-CRN).
Additional information
Main image: Srijita Dasgupta speaking at the workshop on NDC 3.0 and COP30 preparation in Asia-Pacific region.
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