The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a $1.4 billion, four-year commitment to boost climate adaptation and enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, unveiled at the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil.
The initiative aims to expand access to innovative tools and technologies that help farmers withstand extreme weather events, as less than one percent of global climate finance currently addresses escalating threats to food systems in these regions.
Bill Gates, chair of the foundation, emphasized the critical role of smallholder farmers in global food security, stating: “Smallholder farmers are feeding their communities under the toughest conditions imaginable.
"We’re supporting their ingenuity with the tools and resources to help them thrive because investing in their resilience is one of the smartest, most impactful things we can do for people and the planet.”
Farmers in low-income countries produce nearly one-third of the world’s food but face severe risks from climate change.
Without scaled adaptation funding, experts warn of deepening food insecurity and the reversal of development progress.
World Bank research indicates that targeted adaptation investments could boost GDP by up to 15 percent in small island and developing states by 2050.
The World Resources Institute estimates that every dollar invested in adaptation could generate over $10 in social and economic benefits within a decade.
Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman described climate adaptation as “an economic and moral imperative,” urging governments and the private sector to prioritize it alongside mitigation efforts.
“This new commitment builds on our support for farmers in Africa and South Asia who are already innovating to withstand extreme weather,” Suzman said.
“But they can’t do it alone; governments and the private sector must work together to prioritise adaptation alongside mitigation.”
The investment will focus on scaling farmer-led, evidence-based innovations to strengthen food systems and rural livelihoods.
Key components include:Digital advisory services via mobile and SMS platforms delivering real-time, localized weather and agricultural guidance.
Climate-resilient crop and livestock varieties engineered for drought, heat, and pest resistance while improving yields and nutrition.
A $30 million partnership with the Novo Nordisk Foundation to advance soil health research and land restoration, enhancing productivity and reducing emissions.
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