Background

Ethiopia's agriculture sector faces significant challenges due to its reliance on rain-fed agriculture and limited capacity to adapt to climate change, leaving it at a crossroads. The sector also faces many challenges, including climate change and socio-economic instability. While the agricultural private sector has enormous potential to support adaptation, this remains underdeveloped. Introduced in 2011, the Climate Resilient and Green Economy (CRGE) Strategy has established a strong policy framework that connects economic growth with the fight against climate change. Ethiopia prioritizes adaptation and resilience; its ambitious climate goals revolve around ensuring low-carbon energy development, preserving vast forest reserves and promoting climate-smart agriculture. Ethiopia has vast CSA investment potential, worth US$26.4 million. Ethiopia’s Climate Smart Agriculture Investment Plan (CSAIP) provides a strategic and comprehensive rationale for investing in agricultural development amidst climate change and variability challenges. Extensive stakeholder engagement helped develop the CSAIP, and the plan identifies, assesses, and prioritizes various CSA investments in Ethiopia. It aims to create a nationally supported and scientifically evaluated investment portfolio, attracting financial support from private sector actors, public institutions, international donors, and other stakeholders committed to transforming the agriculture sector.

Description of side event

This event will provide overview of the bankable Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) investment plans for Ethiopia. Further, it will utilize this platform to explore how public and private sector stakeholders can collaborate to bring both technical and financial resources together for implementing this CSA investment plan. It will also provide practical insights into how our country is addressing the dual challenges of food security and climate adaptation through investment in CSA. The side event will bring together high-level representatives from Ethiopia government, developed country Party delegations, UN Agencies, international organizations, private sector representatives and civil society organizations, among others.

Expected outcomes

• Identification of key areas where public-private partnerships can be strengthened to mobilize both technical expertise and financial resources for CSA.

• Practical recommendations and strategies to steer future investment decisions in CSA leveraging public-private partnerships between governments, private sector, and multilateral institutions.

• The Ethiopian CSAIP will be acknowledged by the international community to create demand for investment pledges for the implementation of prioritized climate actions.