From Innovation to Action: Farms4Climate at the COP16 in Riyadh

SAE Innova, SEKEM, and Commonland were present at the COP16, a decisive United Nations conference focused on addressing the current global crisis of land degradation and drought. During a dedicated session, they showcased innovative solutions arising from the Farms4Climate project to empower rural communities, combat desertification and restore degraded land.  

In a context where 40% of the global agricultural land is already damaged –and more than 75% is experiencing drier conditions–, urgent climate action is needed to address the escalating global crises of land degradation, drought, and desertification. With this in mind, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) held its 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from December 2 to 13, 2024, bringing together over 20,000 delegates from the public and private sector, civil society, and global stakeholders.

As the Farms4Climate (F4C) project nears its conclusion, it has accumulated valuable insights and experiences that can contribute to restoring land and safeguarding food and water security, among other goals. In this context, SAE Innova, SEKEM, and Commonland hosted a Session at the COP16, aiming to showcase success stories on how to bridge the gap between scientific innovation and practical, on-the-ground solutions for rural communities facing desertification and land degradation. The session, titled Connecting science to practice - engaging rural communities to take action against desertification, focused on exploring the key strategies for promoting a shift in agriculture and land use, enabling smallholder farmers to achieve greater economic returns while leading climate actions.

During the panel discussion, SEKEM inspired the audience with its success story of the miracle of greening the desert. Thoraya Seada, one of the leaders of the F4C-supported Economy of Love carbon standard initiative, shared initial data illustrating how the certification of carbon farming credits is transforming the livelihoods of farmers in Egypt and soon in other countries. In turn, Commonland, the Dutch organisation responsible for the foundation of AlVelAl, the F4C Spanish living lab, provided great insights into how to build long-term partnerships to finance landscape restoration. The 4Returns framework has been implemented for over a decade and its effectiveness has been proven, particularly in the case of AlVelAl. Lastly, SAE Innova emphasized that financial instruments like carbon farming credits should be seen as catalysts for the holistic transformation needed to achieve climate resilience, social improvement and sustainable food production in rural systems during these challenging times.

Showcasing the project at a United Nations conference was a sign of recognition of F4C's impact. Sharing success stories from two of the project's Living Labs with a broader audience was highly appreciated, fostering the idea that further collaboration can be made to replicate the governance structures and strategies to certify the ecosystem services delivered by land managers (farmers, foresters, etc.) alongside their goods. Additionally, the opportunity to attend multiple side events and plenary sessions also allowed F4C participants to network and explore further collaborations to expand the project's impact.