At Bonn Conference, Farmers’ Warn of Double Crisis Threatening Food Security
Farmers’ representatives say a super El Niño and a global fuel-fertilizer shock are threatening crop yields, incomes, and food supplies
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Farmers’ leaders representing 95 million smallholders across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Pacific have warned that super El Nino combined with soaring fuel and fertiliser costs could trigger disruptions to global food production and push millions of smallholders deeper into crisis.
Representatives of the farmers spoke in a press conference organised by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) at the Bonn Conference, currently underway in Germany. They said extreme weather and rising input prices are creating a double crisis for small scale producers, who account for 80% of food production in many developing countries.
Extreme Climatic Condition Can Reduce Rice Yield from 2 to 8% in Asia
Esther Penunia, Secretary General of the Asia Farmers Association, said South and Southeast Asia are bracing for severe impact from El Nino during the May to December roping season. She warned that droughts, stronger storms, forest fires, and pest outbreak could reduce rice yield in Southeast Asia by 2 to 8% with even larger losses in drought prone areas.
Penunia said farmers are also grappling with soaring production costs linked to disruptions in energy and fertilizer markets. Diesel prices have also risen by 9% in India, 30% in Cambodia, and 50% in the Philippines in three months since the Israel-US conflict with Iran started. Tractor rental costs in India have also increased by 50%. Fertiliser prices have climbed as much as 37%, with shortages reported in some areas.
“Smallholders receive only 0.36% of the funding needed for climate adaptation and only a fifth of international public finance for food and agriculture,” said Penunia, calling for dedicated funds to support farmers’ organisations.
Ali Reza Rizvi, Global Director for Climate Change and Energy Transition at IUCN, said scientists had confirmed a very strong El Niño that could rival the devastating 1997-98 event, which triggered widespread droughts, floods and food shortages. Disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz have amplified fertilizer price spikes, with around 30% of global fertilizer trade passing through the waterway. Even if supplies normalise, elevated costs are likely to persist, threatening crop yields in the latter half of the 2026-27 season.
Climate Shocks are Compounding Years of Underinvestment in Africa
Stephen Muchiri, CEO of Eastern African Farmers Federation, said, “Climate shocks are compounding years of underinvestment in agriculture across Africa. Governments have failed to meet the African Union's commitment to allocate 10% of national budgets to agriculture, with many countries spending only 2-3%.”
As a result, Africa is now importing more than $100 billion worth of food annually, placing additional pressure on economies already facing debt distress, Muchiri said. He urged governments and international institutions to channel resources directly to farmer organizations and simplify access to climate finance.
Thomas Patriota, head of international affairs of the Ministry of Development and Family Farming, Brazil, said, “Despite family farmers representing nearly 40% of humanity and producing most of the world's food, they receive less than 1% of climate finance.”
He added strengthening cooperatives and farmer organizations would be essential to scaling up agroecology and ensuring a just transition to more resilient food systems.
Farmer leaders concluded with a call for greater recognition of producer organizations as agents of climate action and urged governments and donors to provide direct financing for regenerative agriculture and adaptation efforts ahead of COP31 negotiations in Turkey.