Putting farmers at the heart of COP30
Nov 7, 2025 •
COP30 starts next week. Soon, researchers, scientists, delegates, and business leaders will converge in Brazil, this year’s host country. As with previous meetings, we will assess the progress we’ve made, adjust action plans, and build on initiatives to help us reach our net-zero goals. But in all these conversations, one voice has historically been left out.
The voice of farmers.
Farmers on the frontline of climate change
Farmers play a vital role in securing our global food supply and building a more sustainable future. Yet climate change is making their work harder every year. Droughts, floods, and rising temperatures degrade soils, reduce yields, and threaten livelihoods.
The climate crisis is a global issue, but its daily battles are fought in farmers’ fields across the world. Without them, there is no path to food security, and no path to climate stability.
The overlooked hero
In the fight against climate change, we often turn to scientists and policymakers for solutions. But it is farmers who face the challenge directly, every single day. They are our first line of defence, and they need our support – to be recognised, to be rewarded, and to be championed as part of the toolbox of solutions to help meet our climate targets.
By adopting sustainable farming practices, farmers can make an extraordinary difference. They can restore soil health and protect our food supply, they can significantly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, and they can draw carbon back into the earth. But they can’t do it alone.
Farmers need support
At UPL, we have spent decades cultivating strong relationships with smallholder farmers worldwide. We have seen firsthand the innovation and resilience they bring to their work, and we have also seen the immense pressure they face.
This year, we are launching the #afarmercan campaign, telling the incredible stories of what a farmer can achieve, what a farmer can lead, and what a farmer can transform with the right support.
Farmers need governments and organisations to invest in infrastructure and provide access to smart technology so they can scale sustainable practices. They need policies that secure their income and safeguard their communities. And they need initiatives that reward their efforts rather than forcing them to bear the costs of this climate action alone.
This is why, at COP30, UPL is launching a new initiative to ensure farmers’ voices are heard and amplified. It will shine a light on the essential role farmers play in tackling climate change, and connect them with the tools, policies, and partnerships they need to accelerate impact.
You can visit our dedicated site for the campaign here: https://events.upl-ltd.com/cop30/
A call to action
At COP30, farmers must not remain on the sidelines. Their voices should be central to every discussion, their perspectives embedded in decisions, and their innovations recognised as vital to our collective future. Farmers are the foundation of the global food system. They are the heroes we need, and they cannot be left to fight for our futures from the shadows.
So, I call on my fellow delegates to make COP30 the summit that truly changes the world by giving farmers the platform they so greatly deserve.
Written by Jai Shroff.
The Chairman & Group CEO of UPL, Jai is a well-recognized global leader in sustainable agricultural development and across agribusiness.
