The United Kingdom committed Tuesday (Nov. 20) to contribute 147.5 million pounds ($234.7 million) to a program that provides climate finance to small-holder farmers.
The money will go to the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s Adaptation for Small-Holder Agricultural Program, which was launched this year. U.K. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg made the pledge at a Rio+20 high-level event in June.
The program, which has received about $320 million in pledges and commitments from several donor governments to date, is expected to build the resilience of farmers against extreme weather conditions brought about by climate change. Some of the projects it plans to finance include mixed crop or livestock systems, which can help boost agricultural production; and communal ponds, which can increase water availability and provide additional income, according to IFAD.
The letter of commitment, signed by U.K. Minister of State for International Development Alan Duncan and IFAD President Kanayo Nwanze, comes days ahead of the 18th U.N. climate change conference that will take place in Doha, Qatar, from Nov. 26 to Dec. 7. Climate finance, specifically the Green Climate Fund, will be among the topics at this year’s conference.
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