The United Arab Emirates and United States, the announced on Monday that funding for the Agriculture Innovation Mission (AIM) for Climate, a global initiative focused on developing environmentally friendly and climate-resilient farming practices, has reached $13 billion. The amount surpasses the original $10 billion target set for the COP28 climate talks, scheduled to take place in the UAE later this year.

US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack emphasized the need for a robust global commitment to address the challenges posed by climate change on agricultural practices worldwide. Vilsack and UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri are co-hosting an AIM for Climate Summit in Washington this week.

Almheiri highlighted the collaboration between the public and private sectors, with $10 billion of the funding coming from governments and $3 billion contributed by private entities.

Food systems are responsible for around 25-33% of global greenhouse emissions, resulting from factors such as deforestation for agricultural land, livestock methane emissions, energy usage in supply chains, and consumer energy consumption for food storage and preparation. Climate change also threatens global food security, as increasing temperatures lead to more frequent heat waves, droughts, and extreme weather events.

AIM for Climate: Promoting Greener Fertilizers and Regenerative Agriculture for Sustainable Farming

Projects under the AIM for Climate initiative focus on developing greener fertilizers that require fewer fossil fuels to produce and promoting regenerative agriculture practices that enhance soil biodiversity. This approach can improve crop yields and carbon sequestration while reducing the dependence on fertilization.

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are also in development to collect data from sources like satellites and ground sensors, enabling accurate estimation of a plot of land’s carbon content. This technology could support farmers in enhancing soil health and potentially create a viable carbon offset market.

The initiative also aims to promote more efficient farming techniques, including the cultivation of water-efficient crops in climate-affected areas. Addressing the summit’s opening meeting, former US vice president and climate activist Al Gore emphasized the importance of providing access to these innovations for marginalized farmers.

US climate envoy John Kerry and ministers from the UK, European Commission, Australia, Kenya, Mexico, and Panama are also expected to speak at the conference.