Slow Food, a global movement advocating for fairer food systems, has expressed disappointment over recent outcomes from COP29, calling the US$300 billion annual commitment by 2035 “insufficient” to address the climate crisis. It is now calling on governments to take concrete action to drive food systems transformation to tackle the climate change hurdles facing the agri-food industry.

This comes after the USDA and FAO highlighted their climate-smart agriculture initiatives at the COP29 conference, which was recently held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Slow Food believes the amount decided for the climate finance deal represents “only a small portion” of the US$1.3 trillion needed, which economists have identified as essential to mitigate the devastating effects of climate change and protect vulnerable communities.

“The conclusions do not reflect what the world and communities really need,” says Edward Mukiibi, president of Slow Food.

“Experts and high-level representatives have made it clear: climate change and food are intrinsically linked, and this fact can no longer be ignored. While food and agriculture played a prominent role in side events and peripheral initiatives, without a place in the formal negotiations, there is a risk of this vital aspect of climate action being overlooked.”