Opening of the Investment in Agrifood Systems Forum

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development highlights the critical role agrifood systems play in tackling global challenges such as malnutrition, poverty, the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and climate change. Such challenges are accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, which have led to disruptions in global food supply chains. In developing countries, farmers, processors, and other actors in agrifood systems need help accessing financial resources to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to increase resilience to global shocks. Recent estimates by IFAD suggest that transforming food systems to deliver healthy people, a healthy planet, and a healthy economy will require an extra US$300 – US$350 billion per year for the next decade. Agrifood systems also present opportunities for mitigating and adapting to climate change and addressing biodiversity loss. That is why there is an urgent need to attract SDG-aligned, inclusive, and efficient public and private sector investment in agri-food systems to reduce food insecurity and to foster rural employment, particularly for women and youths, and income generation.