FAO makes financial institutions aware of climate change challenges during the FAR training

During the training in agricultural and rural finance (FAR), Nadine Valat, Team leader of the FAO*-GCF (Green Climate Fund) partnership, hosted a webinar to raise awareness of the challenges of climate change. Participants included senior and operational managers of MFIs as well as public authorities, fintechs, insurance companies and investment funds.

In a video for ADA, Mrs Valat explains these challenges and insists that financial institutions can play a role in strengthening the resilience of agri-food systems to climate change.

*Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

"The latest climate change report by a group of intergovernmental experts once again set the alarm bells ringing. We need to take action urgently, including in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors. […] The FAO works with countries to increase investments in these types of projects that meet the goals of both mitigation and adaptation. […] Financial institutions - microfinance institutions, insurance companies and investment funds - play a central role in worldwide efforts to reach the Paris Agreement targets and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We have to act now – immediately – to strengthen our partnerships.”

Under its new strategy, ADA will strive to provide a more holistic, coherent and relevant response to the climatic challenges faced by its target populations. In particular, ADA will broaden its areas of intervention in collaboration with a broader range of financial and technical partners, for example by joining forces with innovative providers of basic services such as solar-powered utilities.