Food Systems at COP29

The latest information about COP29 can be found at the official website of the Azerbaijan Presidency .

The Dutch Minister of Climate and Green Growth sent a letter to the House of Representatives about the expectations and commitment of the Cabinet for COP29.  The letter announces that the government will draw attention to agriculture, food and nature at COP29, and bring forward Dutch agricultural knowledge and expertise that can help combat climate change. Together with partners, the Netherlands is organizing an official UNFCCC event about the international architecture for climate action in food systems. During the event, it will be discussed how this architecture could be improved so that climate goals are achieved more quickly.

During the NFP Network briefing organised on November 6, Lucas du Pré, negotiator for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN), indicated that the COP29 agenda will be pretty light on food systems and no mayor outcomes are expected in the negotiations. The main discussions will revolve around climate finance and filling the 100 billion climate fund. For food systems, the main discussions will be about filling the Sharm al Sheikh information portal about food systems and climate with relevant content and identifying who has access to this information.  Another initiative to watch is Harmonia, by the COP29 Presidency, which is building on the UAE Declaration. 

Oliver Camp from GAIN presented an insightful overview of opportunities for food systems in the formal negotiations, with the presidency and in the various pavilions and side events. For an overview of these opportunities and entry points to integrate food systems in the COP policy agenda, please have a look at his live document. The document also includes a practical visitors guide. 

Other resources about food systems opportunities include:

• World Resources Institute overview of agriculture sector opportunities in the NDCs

Overview Food System Pavilions at COP29

1. Action on Food Hub (EIT Food, ProVeg, Future Economy Forum)

• Who is involved: EIT Food, ProVeg International, Future Economy Forum.

• Main goal: To transform global food systems through sustainable agriculture, plant-based diets, and economic policies aligned with climate goals.

• What it entails: It features discussions on innovations in food systems (EIT Food), advocating for plant-forward diets to lower emissions (ProVeg), and policies supporting a sustainable economy (Future Economy Forum)​
  ProVeg International
  Future Economy Forum

2. Food & Agriculture Pavilion

• Who is involved: CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) and FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations).

• Main goal: To showcase climate-smart agriculture and research-driven solutions for sustainable, resilient food systems.

• What it entails: CGIAR and FAO will create a platform for collaborative dialogue, knowledge sharing, and decision-making on the unique role of agriculture and food systems in the fight against climate change. These will include sharing efforts to drive adaptation and reduce emissions across food, land, and water systems to ensure food, nutrition, and water security for the most affected small-scale producers and food-insecure communities through targeted adaptation strategies. https://events.cgiar.org/cop29
  
  

3. EU Pavilion

• Who is involved: European Union.

• Main goal: To promote the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy and related initiatives that aim to make food systems more sustainable as part of the European Green Deal.

• What it entails: It will focus on reducing food-related emissions, cutting food waste, and promoting biodiversity, with an emphasis on international partnerships​
  Climate Action

4. Benelux Pavilion

• Who is involved: Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg.

• Main goal: To highlight regional innovations in sustainable agriculture and circular food systems.

• What it entails: The pavilion will present cutting-edge solutions like precision farming, resource-efficient greenhouse practices, and waste reduction strategies that enhance the circular economy in food production​
  Future Economy Forum
  
  

5. Food Tank and IICA Pavilion

• Who is involved: Food Tank, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

• Main goal: To emphasize sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean.

What it entails: It will showcase agroecological practices, climate-resilient crops, and initiatives that empower rural farmers to improve food security and climate adaptation​
Food Tank
GAIN

Events 

Several organisations from the NFP Network shared their activities and planned events at COP29 during the network briefing on November 6. Some highlights:

• Clim-EAT will host a range of events, among others a joint event with the Dutch government about the multilateral architecture of food and agriculture in relation to climate.
• On November 16, ECDPM will launch a project with the African Union Development Agency and the Italian G7 Presidency about building resilience to climate change while enhancing food security, nutrition, and economic growth. This is in support of the Technical Cooperation Collaborative implementation at the continental and regional levels
• The True Animal Protein Price Coalition (TAPP) will host a press conference to share a widely supported declaration to urge for global action on meat consumption ahead of COP29.

For a calendar of all food systems related events, check out the Mastercalendar.