Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı attended the 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), which was hosted by Türkiye in Antalya and is the world's most important organization in the fight against climate change.
Speaking before the presentation of the "Rural Supply Chains under Pressure Report" in the session titled "Food Systems Under Pressure: Strengthening Resilience from the First Step" of the conference, Yumaklı wished that the COP31 meeting would strengthen the bond between food security and climate action and contribute to the development of common solutions.
Yumaklı pointed out that food systems are currently facing risks such as the effects of climate change, increasing temperatures, drought, floods and other extreme weather events, and said:
"Our world faces multidimensional risks such as water scarcity, biodiversity loss, geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions and fluctuations in input costs. These risks affect not only production, but also post-harvest processes, storage, transportation, access to markets and consumers' accessibility to food. The impact of shocks is felt especially harshly on small-scale producers and vulnerable communities. Therefore, we should consider resilience not only as the capacity to respond to crises, but as the ability to foresee risks, reduce their effects and quickly recover. Sustainability of water resources management, climate-compatible production practices, agricultural production planning, early warning and risk management mechanisms, strong rural infrastructure and effective information sharing are the basic elements of this approach."
"OUR AIM IS TO TRANSFER NATURAL RESOURCES TO FUTURE GENERATIONS"
Emphasizing that it is important to be prepared and take action before crises break out, Yumaklı said that the resilience of producers is determined by the steps taken in advance, such as access to water, affordable inputs, financing and insurance opportunities, and reliable connections to markets.
Yumaklı pointed out that when these elements come together, food producers take a much stronger stance against shocks and continued as follows:
"In order to be prepared against climate risks, we consider it necessary to benefit from scientific data and digital technologies, strengthen our producers' access to information and appropriate tools, and improve cooperation between public institutions, research organizations, private sector and international partners. Our goal is to transfer natural resources to future generations while protecting the continuity of production and the livelihoods of our farmers."
"WE SHOULD INCREASE CONCRETE STEPS THAT STRENGTHEN THE CONTINUITY OF THE FOOD SUPPLY"
Pointing out that COP summits are important to bring these goals together around a common agenda, Yumaklı said, "COP31's cooperation and implementation approach is valuable in terms of transforming commitments into applicable solutions on the field, directing climate finance to areas of need and accelerating the sharing of knowledge and experience between countries." he said.
Yumaklı stated that resilient food systems are the common responsibility of all parties and made the following assessment:
"No country can overcome these challenges alone. Together with IFAD (UN International Fund for Agricultural Development) and our other international partners, we must increase concrete steps that support producers, protect natural resources and strengthen the continuity of food supply in the face of crises. With these thoughts, I hope that the launch of the report will lead to fruitful discussions and strong partnerships, and I would like to thank everyone who contributed."
CLIMATE RESILIENCE INVESTMENTS COULD PREVENT ONE FIFTH OF AGRICULTURAL INCOME LOSSES
IFAD President Alvaro Lario also said that financing, input support and market access opportunities should be provided together to increase the resilience of rural communities against climate change and market shocks.
Lario stated that the report, introduced within the scope of COP31, revealed that this integrated approach can prevent approximately one-fifth of net agricultural income losses in cases where private sector and market shocks occur simultaneously.
Pointing out that small-scale agricultural investments receive less than 1 percent of total climate finance, Lario said:
"Climate change adaptation investments make up more than half of our total investment portfolio. For example, within the scope of a watershed development project in Türkiye, we see how we can work together by bringing together elements such as financing, solar-powered irrigation systems, better processing facilities and strengthening market access. The project increased the income of approximately 25 thousand households by 41 percent and productivity by more than 50 percent. When producers, rural businesses and local communities have the resources, markets and services they need, the results go far beyond resilience. Food security This is how we can work collectively to build more resilient economies by empowering people, creating jobs and supporting rural growth.”
