As the impacts of climate change are increasingly felt around the world, leaders across sectors are acknowledging the significant role that food systems play in contributing to and responding to its environmental effects. Major shocks to the supply chain in recent years, from natural disasters and extreme weather to wars and pandemics, have highlighted the vulnerabilities in the global food system and the need for greater resiliency and sustainability. Despite this growing awareness, food systems have largely been excluded from climate financing strategies, representing fewer than 4 percent of investments.  

To address the barriers and drivers needed to increase investments in creating nutritious, equitable, sustainable, and resilient food systems, Feeding Change hosted a series of seven panel discussions on climate financing for food systems transformation across the Milken Institute’s global events and through participation at COP28. This brief synthesizes those conversations into four key themes related to the trends, challenges, and opportunities for public, private, and nonprofit capital to drive food systems transformation. These themes inform three actionable opportunity areas for collaboration and activation ahead of COP30—and beyond.