At COP 28, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) will address two of humanity’s most urgent challenges—climate change and food security.

FAO’s programme of events at COP 28 includes discussions on the intersection of agriculture and loss and damage, and adaptation solutions for agrifood systems, as well as the climate finance gap these face.

Collaboration between the Treaty and relevant international instruments and organizations came into the spotlight as the Governing Body worked through its agenda, including enhancing the Treaty’s Multilateral System of access and benefit-sharing, farmers’ rights, and the impact of technological developments, including digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources.

Stakeholders from around the world gathered to reflect on the transformation of agri-food systems in the face of interlinked global challenges such as the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, and conflicts. Discussions centered on the role of gene banks in preserving and restoring crop diversity.