The number of chronically hungry people in the world increased from 804 million in 2016 to nearly 821 million in 2017. Climate uncertainty and extreme weather are among the main causes behind this surge, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Droughts, storms and floods have led to more regional food crises, with areas depending on rainfed agriculture hit hardest.

Our latest briefing shows we can fight global hunger and cool the climate with agroecology.

As governments and international institutions search for answers from the agrifood system to the many challenges posed by climate change, these institutions, including the FAO, increasingly refer to ‘climate smart agriculture’. The definition of ‘climate smart agriculture’ is intentionally vague, and allows corporations to greenwash and validate industrial agriculture, without having to alter production models and the power structures behind big agribusiness.

Instead, the FAO should listen to those within the organization who advocate scaling-up agroecology.

Friends of the Earth International and our allies are calling for a transformation in agriculture and food production and consumption based on food sovereignty, agroecology and the relocalization of food systems. To do this we need to take bold and decisive action.

Real climate solutions are already out there in peasant and small-scale farmers’ fields, but they need to be protected, promoted and enhanced. We need governments to implement public policies and investments that support agroecological production controlled by small-scale producers.