“US and UAE-led Agricultural Innovation for Climate Initiative Secures Over $13 Billion in Funding”

The “Mission of Agricultural Innovation for Climate” initiative was launched in 2021 and succeeded in obtaining $8 billion in pledges last November.

“Climate change continues to affect long-term agricultural practices in every country, and a strong global commitment is necessary to address the challenges of climate change head on,” Vilsack said in a statement.

Vilsack announced the latest funding figures for the initiative at the Mission Agricultural Innovation for Climate Summit in Washington on Monday, flanked by UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment Maryam Al Muhairi and former US Vice President Al Gore.

The UAE is scheduled to host the Climate Change Summit (COP 28) in November and December.

Maryam Al-Muhairi said at the Washington summit, which will continue until Wednesday, in the presence of officials from Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, in addition to academics and company directors, that the UAE will ensure that (COP28) changes the rules of the game in food systems.

Al Gore emphasized the importance that funding for innovation related to climate change be spent fairly.

“Black farmers, indigenous farmers, low-income farmers need access to this innovation as well. We need to get them involved in this,” he said.

A spokesman for the US Department of Agriculture said that governments contribute about $10 billion of the total funding of $13 billion, while the rest of the funding comes from non-governmental parties interested in financing initiatives to support small farmers, emerging technologies and methane reduction.

The initiative aims to unite countries on the goal of reducing agricultural emissions, which account for 10 to 12 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, these emissions come from sources including livestock manure, machinery and fertilizer use.