A group of 25 philanthropic institutions, including the IKEA Foundation, ClimateWorks Foundation and Robert Bosch Stiftung have announced a joint call for a tenfold increase in funding for transitions and solutions that address urgent global agricultural and environmental challenges.  

They urge that to align global good systems with the 1.5ºC goal of the Paris Agreement, there is a need to phase out fossil fuel particularly used in industrial agriculture, and transition toward agroecology and regenerative approaches.  

A report titled “Cultivating Change: Accelerating and Scaling Agroecology and Regenerative Approaches” was released in support of the call, highlighting solutions such as regenerative and Indigenous food systems.  

It is urged that investment in transitions to create a sustainable food system will require a tenfold increase. This could cost an estimated $250-430 billion per year, less than 5 per cent of the $12 trillion per year cost caused from hunger and malnutrition, environmental damage and poor health care.  

Shifting current food subsidies towards agroecological and other sustainable approaches will be needed.  

“Our current food systems are not working for people and the planet. We call on civil society, governments, investors, and other donors to work with us to unlock the innovative partnerships and investments that we urgently need to scale up agroecology and regenerative approaches” says Per Heggenes, CEO, IKEA Foundation. 

Philanthropic organisations in support of the transition say investment at the scale proposed would mean half of all food produced could be regenerative and agroecological by 2040, and all would be transitioning to more sustainable approaches by 2050.  

“Our world is at a critical juncture, and our choices will reverberate for generations to come. We are collectively calling on our peers to up their philanthropic investments and join us in cultivating a just and equitable future,” said Anna Lappé, Executive Director, Global Alliance for the Future of Food, part of the initiative.  

The full list of organisations are: African Climate Foundation, Agroecology Fund, Biovision Foundation for Ecological Development, Builders Initiative Foundation, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, ClimateWorks Foundation, Erol Foundation, European Climate Foundation, Funders for Regenerative Agriculture, Global Alliance for the Future of Food, GRACE Communications Foundation, Instituto Ibirapitanga, IKEA Foundation, India Climate Collaborative, Instituto Clima e Sociedade, Laudes Foundation, Macdoch Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Oak Foundation, Platform for Agriculture and Climate Transformation, Porticus, Robert Bosch Stiftung, The Rockefeller Foundation, Thread Fund, Walton Family Foundation.

Shafi Musaddique is the news editor at Alliance magazine.