Report: Operationalizing USAID’s Climate Strategy to Achieve Transformative Adaptation and Mitigation in Agricultural and Food Systems

A new report from the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD) recommends actions to achieve transformative climate change results across USAID agricultural and food system investments. The report, Operationalizing USAID’s Climate Strategy to Achieve Transformative Adaptation and Mitigation in Agricultural and Food Systems, was published and shared with USAID Administrator Samantha Power on Friday, November 17th.

Read the Full Report Here

The report presents six detailed operational and technical recommendations and targets for adaptation, mitigation, and finance for agrifood systems that align with those of USAID’s 2022–2030 Climate Strategy. These recommendations are intended to help accelerate USAID’s achievement of its ambitious Climate Strategy goals within agrifood systems programming.

The recommendations stem from multidisciplinary evidence gathering and independent expert consultations led by the BIFAD Subcommittee, in addition to broad feedback at BIFAD public meetings.

Here's a glimpse of what the report has to offer, structured around three strategic elements:

Targets: The report recommends specific agrifood system targets aligned with the Climate Strategy, focusing on adaptation, mitigation, and finance. These targets aim to improve the climate resilience of millions of people reliant on agriculture, reduce emissions, and mobilize substantial finance for climate change adaptation and mitigation.

USAID Operational Changes: To effectively operationalize the Climate Strategy within USAID's agricultural and food security portfolio, the report presents five organizationally tailored recommendations. These changes will better position USAID to achieve Climate Strategy objectives. They include setting, measuring, and reporting on climate targets; integrating climate objectives into the program cycle; building climate expertise; increasing climate investment; and funding climate research.

High-Potential Leverage Points: The report identifies high-potential leverage points within agrifood systems to drive transformative shifts toward net-zero emissions and climate-resilient pathways while achieving food security goals.

Empower Women, Youth, and Other Underrepresented Groups to Drive Locally Led, Climate-Resilient Agrifood Systems
Increase Finance for Climate Adaptation and Mitigation and Expand its Inclusivity
Enable the Use and Sustained Provision of Weather and Climate Services
Partner with and Strengthen Local Research and Development Systems
Expand Integrated Soil and Water Resources Management
Expand Integrated Forest and Agricultural Land Management
Reduce Livestock Emissions while Increasing Production Efficiency
Reduce Food Loss and Waste