| Summary: | As climate change intensifies, its cascading impacts on food and water systems threaten livelihoods, ecosystems, and economic stability worldwide. Even at 1.5°C of warming, agricultural productivity and human well-being face irreversible losses, underscoring the urgent need to scale up adaptation. The Adaptation Futures 2025 conference in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand (13-16 October), brought together scientists, policymakers, and community leaders to advance solutions that are locally led, equitable, and grounded in evidence. A central message emerged: adaptation must scale and accelerate with local communities at the center of these efforts.
Sub-Saharan Africa exemplifies both the urgency and opportunity of climate adaptation. Despite contributing 4% to global emissions, the region has seen its agricultural productivity growth cut by one-third since 1961. Yet, only 2% of global climate finance currently reaches smallholder farmers in Africa and South Asia--communities that are the most impacted and vulnerable.
At Adaptation Futures 2025, CGIAR showcased its decades-long contributions to climate-resilient food systems through scientific innovation, local partnerships, and knowledge co-creation. Presentations by CGIAR scientists from IRRI, IWMI, and more, emphasized that adaptation extends beyond technology: it requires social, institutional, and behavioral transformation. Highlights included discussions on locally led adaptation, transformative systems change, and gender-responsive approaches to vulnerability and resilience.
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