Global 
Challenge
Farmers, especially women and youth, face increasing climate pressures and limited access to coordinated financing and knowledge needed for resilient agriculture.
Solution
The Baku Harmoniya Initiative for Farmers promotes cooperation, investment, and evidence-based practices to strengthen farmer resilience and support gender-responsive rural development.
Overview
The Baku Harmoniya Initiative for Farmers, launched in 2024 at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, was created to advance sustainable agriculture by strengthening cooperation, financing, and knowledge exchange across the food, agriculture, and water sectors. Introduced during the “Food, Agriculture, and Water” thematic session, the initiative aims to empower rural communities, particularly women and youth, through coordinated support and shared experience.
The initiative responds to fragmentation across existing agricultural programs by promoting coherence and facilitating the exchange of lessons learned. Its central aim is to help countries adopt evidence-based approaches and resilient agricultural technologies that align with national contexts. The Harmoniya Initiative places strong emphasis on climate adaptation, gender equality, and long-term sustainability for rural livelihoods.
Objectives
The initiative is structured around three core objectives that guide its work:
- Empower farmers, especially women and youth, while supporting the creation of climate-resilient villages and communities across the food, agriculture, and water sectors.
- Clarify the current landscape of agricultural and climate initiatives, and provide a platform where stakeholders can exchange knowledge, strengthen cooperation, and improve alignment across programs.
- Catalyze public and private investment to support agrifood system transformation, including through collaboration with Multilateral Development Banks and Agricultural Public Development Banks.
Supporting farmers and rural resilience
The name “Harmoniya” reflects the initiative’s commitment to helping farmers strengthen resilience in a changing climate. The initiative integrates innovative approaches with local knowledge to reduce risks associated with loss and damage. This includes support for adaptation actions tailored to national needs, encouragement of climate-resilient agricultural practices, and efforts to strengthen community capacity.
The initiative also highlights the importance of women’s roles in sustainable agriculture. This is especially timely given the UN-declared International Year of the Woman Farmer in 2026.
Alignment with global partnerships
The Harmoniya Initiative is closely connected to the FAO-led Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation (FAST) Partnership. Through this alignment, it contributes to broader efforts to improve data, financing, and knowledge sharing for agricultural transformation. Harmoniya and the FAST Partnership were discussed at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, in sessions that addressed food and agriculture, with FAST seen as a COP-to-COP mechanism to move resilient agrifood systems forward.
Looking ahead
Although specific activities and results are still emerging, the Harmoniya Initiative has already shaped ongoing dialogue around sustainable agriculture and climate adaptation. Momentum following COP30 could help the initiative advance farmer empowerment, investment mobilization, and gender-responsive climate action.
Acknowledgements
Information for this report is based on the Japanese-language briefing note reported by Kei Kurushima of IGES. Appreciation is extended to contributors involved in documenting developments at COP29.
Related Links / References
- Baku Harmonia Climate Initiative for Farmers
https://cop29.az/en/pages/baku-harmoniya-climate-initiative-for-farmers-concept
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