The Climakers meet digitally to reiterate their commitment to work together with the farmers, to advance the global political dialogue on agriculture and climate change also at the times of COVID-19.

Even if the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is disrupting our lives globally, the drastic effects of climate change have never stopped. The World Health Organisation states that “the pandemic is a reminder of the intimate and delicate relationship between people and planet”. That is why Climate action must stay on top of the global agenda, also and above all now that the world is fighting against COVID-19.

Climate Change, the “deepest environmental emergency” does not stop, and neither do the Climakers, shining a light on the enormous potential of the agricultural sector to build back better after the coronavirus crisis and to succeed in the fight against climate change. Farmers own an essential part of the solution thanks to their unique practical expertise, a combination of traditional knowledge and experience from living and working on the land and with nature.

Discussing the future direction of the initiative to ensure that the Climakers Agenda meets its primary goal of influencing the NDCs in agriculture, was the purpose of the virtual meeting hosted by the World Farmers’ Organisation on May 26th and featuring the participation of all the actors already engaged in the alliance.

Participants in the meeting were: Ms Arianna Giuliodori, Ms Luisa Volpe and Ms Valeria Di Marzo, World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), Ms Fatma Ben Rejeb, Pan African Farmers’ Organization (PAFO), Mr Stephen Muchiri, Eastern African Farmers Federation (EAFF), Mr Majola Mabuza, Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), Mr Errington Thompson, Agriculture Alliance for the Caribbean (AACARI) and Ms Marianna Debernardini, European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) as representatives of the Farmers’ Organisations; Ms Viviana Sacco on behalf of PROCASUR; Ms Yvonne Harz-Pitre, International Fertilizer Association (IFA), Ms Giulia Di Tommaso and Mr Robert Hunter, CropLife International, and Mr Michael Keller, International Seed Federation (ISF) on the side of Private Sector Associations; Ms Regine Liu on behalf of Taiwan ICDF and Mr Michael Hoevel as representative of Farming First.

All the attendees provided key contributions to help the work of the implementation of the Farmers Driven Climate Change Agenda, making the meeting the occasion for a forward-looking and constructive exchange.

NOW is time for the Climakers to make another bold step towards building a more sustainable future for all, relying on a farmers’ driven climate change agenda.