In a significant stride toward transforming Nigeria’s rural agricultural landscape, the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, inaugurated the second phase of its rice farming support programme in Ebonyi State. The event, centred on the distribution of vital farming inputs, highlights the Foundation’s commitment to strengthening food systems, promoting sustainable livelihoods, and empowering smallholder farmers across Nigeria.
BATN Foundation has distributed 1,000 kg of high-quality rice seeds, 6,000 kg of fertiliser, herbicides, pesticides, and other essential inputs to 200 farmers in Ebonyi State
In 2024, BATN Foundation made remarkable headway by supporting 400 smallholder rice farmers across four communities in the state — Eketube Enyigba (Abakaliki LGA), Ndiokeda (Izzi LGA), Ogwulangwu (Ohaozara LGA), and Nduikbi (Ebonyi LGA). These farmers received targeted capacity building through hands-on training, demonstration plots, and field days designed to promote improved agronomic practices.
Now, in 2025, the Foundation’s efforts are intensifying with a strategic intervention that saw the distribution of 1,000 kg of high-quality rice seeds, 6,000 kg of fertiliser, herbicides, pesticides, and other essential inputs to 200 farmers, selected from the initial cohort for this planting season. The support aims to cultivate at least 20 hectares of rice.
Looking ahead, BATN Foundation plans a third phase in 2026, envisaged as an enterprise development initiative. This phase aims to support 100 farmers with inputs to cultivate 100 hectares of rice, coupled with market linkage services to ensure sustainable income streams. Such steps are crucial in creating resilient farming communities capable of weathering climatic and market challenges.
Oludare Odusanya, General Manager of BATNF, emphasised the importance of grassroots empowerment.
“Our interventions are designed not only to provide immediate support but also to foster long-term resilience and self-sufficiency among smallholder farmers. We believe that with adequate resources, knowledge, and market access, these farmers can uplift their communities and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s food security,” he stated.
He further commended partnerships with the Ebonyi State Ministry of Agriculture and Ecofield Agrolink Enterprises, highlighting the collective effort required to sustain and scale such impactful interventions. Since 2002, BATNF has invested over ₦4 billion in rural agricultural development, positively impacting over 1.7 million farmers nationwide. The Foundation’s strategic focus continues to be on elevating smallholder farmers’ productivity while fostering sustainable practices that secure their livelihoods long-term.
Addressing the farmers directly, Odusanya expressed gratitude for their resilience and trust. “Your dedication and hard work are the backbone of Nigeria’s food security. We are proud to support your journey and look forward to celebrating your successes in this planting season and beyond,” he affirmed.
The ongoing partnership between BATNF and Ebonyi State exemplifies how collaborative efforts, targeted interventions, and strategic investments can drive agricultural transformation. As the foundation looks forward to expanding its programmes, the focus remains on nurturing smallholder farmers into catalysts of Nigeria’s sustainable development.
In what looks like a landmark move to bolster Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) has entered into a strategic partnership with Southwest Agribusiness Company Limited (SWAgCo), a leading agribusiness investment arm of Odu’a Investment Company Limited (OICL).
BATN Foundation partners with SWAgCo
This collaboration aims to revolutionise smallholder farming by leveraging innovative investments and comprehensive support programmes designed to unlock the region’s full agricultural potential. The partnership signifies more than just capital as it embodies a shared vision to transform rural livelihoods, boost food security, and foster sustainable economic growth across Southwest Nigeria.
At its core is a commitment to empowering smallholder farmers through access to quality inputs, modern training, and market linkages.
“Our collaboration with SWAgCo is a massive step toward redefining how agriculture supports rural communities. Together, we are not only investing in crops but investing in the people, the backbone of Nigeria’s food production,” said Oludare Odusanya, General Manager of BATNF.
At the heart of this partnership is a groundbreaking ₦65 million Smallholder Maize Scheme in Ekiti State. The initiative targets 100 farmers and offers a comprehensive package: inputs such as quality seeds and fertilisers, capacity-building training, and robust market access to ensure these farmers can translate their efforts into sustainable income.
Odusanya stressed that this scheme exemplifies how strategic investments can ignite rural enterprise, foster job creation, and catalyse economic diversification especially in the Southwest region, a vital hub of Nigeria’s agricultural development.
On his part, Dr. Theo Adewale Onadeko, Chief Executive Officer of SWAgCo, said that the company’s recent launch of a ₦10 billion agribusiness drive highlights a shared commitment to industrialise agriculture and unlock the full potential of Southwest Nigeria. This initiative, he added, is more than just funding; it’s about cultivating a resilient and innovative agricultural ecosystem.
Commenting on the partnership with BATNF, he said: “Our partnership with BATNF aligns perfectly with our goal of transforming smallholder farming into a lucrative, sustainable enterprise. We are committed to supporting hardworking farmers who are vital to Nigeria’s food security and economic growth.”
The collaboration highlights a strategic alignment that combines Odu’a Investment’s regional influence, SWAgCo’s investment capacity, and BATNF’s track record of impactful community support. The collective aim is clear: to elevate smallholders, modernise agricultural practices, and make Nigeria’s agriculture sector more competitive and resilient.
When asked what she would do differently to solve the issue of plastic pollution and poor waste management in Nigeria if she were in a position to do so, Lauretta Boniface, Executive Director of the Ecocykle Development Foundation (EDF), said she would involve more young people in the conversation.
Participants in the one-day empowerment and sensitisation programme organised by the Ecocykle Development Foundation (EDF) in partnership with the French Embassy in Uke, a small village in Nasarawa State, north-central region of Nigeria.
“Because as young people, we have innovations and creativity in our hearts,” she continued, reinforcing her belief that putting them at the centre of the discussion can create significant change.
Speaking on Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Uke, a rural community in Nasarawa State, where she led a group of stakeholders as part of her organisation’s efforts to commemorate 2025 World Environment Day, Boniface revealed that the purpose of their visit was to conduct a one-day programme to raise awareness and build women’s capacity to turn plastic waste into useful products such as handbags, shoes and earrings.
The issue of plastic pollution continues to be a serious threat to both human and environmental health on a global scale. Nigeria is not an exception to this alarming crisis, as numerous studies have shown that the country is the second-largest plastic polluter in the world, after India.
With this understanding, it is evident that EDF is progressing well in its mission to empower communities, particularly women and young people, by demonstrating that waste can generate income and create livelihoods.
The event’s theme, “Plastics to Creative Crafts in Communities”, exemplifies the organisation’s unending ambition to provide solutions that will put an end to the age of plastic contamination in the country and beyond.
In response to the programme’s theme, the EDF’s executive director stated that it was inspired by previous projects her organisation has undertaken, such as recycling plastics to create interlocking tiles and furniture. It is also to expand into other eco-friendly areas that can be recycled using plastic, such as paper bags, wristwatches, and handbands, as well as jewellery, which women are particularly concerned about due to fashion.
“This is what inspired the focus – training them on what they already have their interests in,” Boniface added, to illustrate how the problem can be tackled, as plastic was initially introduced to address packaging issues, rather than the devastating consequences it has since caused.
In addition to raising awareness and empowering communities to address the problems caused by plastic pollution, she urged public and private sector stakeholders to work together to implement existing policies and ensure that new ones resonate with and suit the needs of the people – rather than “copy and paste”, as has been seen in many cases – to help them collectively tackle this environmental threat.
Civic education about responsible plastic use and management helps people understand and deal with the effects of the climate disaster while also giving them the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes they need to be change agents. According to the environmental advocate, it is fundamental to educate the public about the detrimental effects of plastic pollution because everyone is just addressing their daily issues and is unaware of the numerous global solutions.
“So, bringing this type of programme to local communities, as we have done in Uke, is also about raising awareness and empowering them to understand global issues so they can adopt and domesticate these concepts,” she explained, to ensure that their actions support sustainability.
Muhammad Isa Bello, Director General of the Nasarawa State Waste Management and Sanitation Authority (NASWAMSA), thanked EDF and the French Embassy for bringing the programme to his state, emphasising that the beneficiaries will be able to work for themselves due to the knowledge they have gained.
He went on to say that the Nasarawa state government is developing a plan to cooperate with interested partners such as the Dangote Group to collect plastic garbage for proper processing, create jobs, and reduce crime in society.
“Today is one of my happiest days to witness this in Uke, to show our people’s talent; I highly appreciate it,” he said, vowing that the government will do everything in its power to assist individuals who have been trained in these talents for sustainability.
According to Mr. Emmanuel Obinna Nweze, Programme Director for the Ecosteward Foundation (EHF), the event is significant because it addresses two major issues: plastic pollution and empowering women and young people to overcome poverty.
Nweze explained in his presentation titled “Rethinking Plastic Packaging and Pollution Issues in Nigeria” that the issue of plastic pollution is quite broad because it impacts not only the environment but also human health, social justice, and other factors.
“So, if we don’t take some of these issues very critically, it is something that is going to be a menace to the community and country at large,” he stated.
Labaran Gero, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, expressed her satisfaction that the information she and other members of the community have gained will help them improve their financial situation and support their families.
“We are very happy for their coming here today to enlighten and empower us on how to stand on our feet,” she said, promising to share her newly learnt knowledge with other members of her family and community at large.
Every year, World Environment Day (WED) is observed to call global attention to the myriad concerns confronting the environment. Teaching people how to turn plastic waste into wealth, as EDF and the Embassy of France have done in the Uke village, is completely consistent with the theme of this year’s event, “Ending Global Plastic Pollution”, to safeguard the ecosystem.
The Department of Climate Change (DCC) of the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP) has announced the commencement of the second subnational climate governance performance ranking.
Some of the participants at the DCC and SPP virtual workshop
The processes started on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, with a virtual workshop organised by the DCC and the SPP to inform state climate change desk officers, directors, permanent secretaries, and climate focal persons of the improved ranking methodology and project timeline.
The virtual meeting was attending by over 40 officials from across the 36 states of the federation.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Iniobong Abiola-Awe, Director of the DCC, emphasised the importance of the ranking as a tool for assessing and promoting best practices in climate governance at the subnational level. She stated that the data collected on the process is also vital for shaping national climate policy and guiding implementation.
The Director said that the Minister of Environment considers the first subnational climate governance ranking one of the key achievements of the ministry and is fully supportive of the effort to run the process again this year.
Dr. Abiola-Awe commended the dedication and commitment of the climate change desk officers and stressed the importance of strategic partnerships and capacity building for enhancing climate resilience.
“The journey toward climate resilience is complex and demands collective resolve, innovative solutions, and strong partnerships. The performance ranking offers a unique lens for evaluating our progress, identifying gaps, and sharing successful strategies. This second edition will deepen our understanding, inspire stronger commitments, and strengthen governance mechanisms that are inclusive, transparent, and effective,” she said.
In his address, the President of the SPP, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, acknowledged the desk officers’ role in facilitating the first subnational climate governance ranking and rating through the commitment and effort they put into completing the survey questionnaires. He described them as the real heroes of the initiative, adding that the inaugural rating and ranking is generating attention and attracting global interests.
“The subnational climate governance rating and ranking is a highly innovative project – perhaps the first of its kind in Africa. I am therefore not surprised that the Honourable Minister recognizes the importance of this highly innovative project, and has embraced it as one of his major flagship achievements,” he said.
Prof. Okereke stated that because the ranking was gaining a lot of interest, it is important to make methodological improvements to ensure its legitimacy.
He stated that the revisions to the method for this year include the establishment of a review and quality assurance panel comprising of high calibre national and international climate governance experts and emphasis on one submission from each state which must have final endorsement of the honourable commissioner or permanent secretary.
He said that the ranking methodology would be revised to give more weight to climate project implementation and that the organisers are speaking with international development partners about how to increase the reward given to the wining states.
Professor Okereke announced that, in parallel to the rating and ranking exercise, SPP would be working with the DCC to mount a range of capacity building trainings and workshops for the state desk officers and commissioners of environment in the country.
“We should remember that the main goal here is not to single out and shame underperformers, but to foster a spirit of collaboration, encourage all states to do better, recognize the ones that are doing well, and give opportunities to the ones that are lagging behind to see what the people ahead are doing and to copy from them,” he added.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Environmental and Natural Resources in Ekiti State and Chairperson, Committee of Commissioners for Environment, praised the initiative and pledged Ekiti State’s full cooperation in providing accurate and timely data for the ranking.
Desk officers took turn to give their commendations to DCC and SPP on the ranking project, and vouched to work with their principals to submit accurate data and also to make themselves available for the training and capacity building programmes.
Launched in July 2024, with states like Lagos, Gombe, Ebonyi, Borno and Ekiti as high performers, the subnational governance rating and ranking initiative aims to streamline and catalyse climate action at the subnational level through a systematic, rigorous and robust ranking and rating process.
The second edition will build on this momentum to achieve its goal of empowering subnational governments and improving climate change governance across Nigeria.
As the June Climate Meetings (SB62) enter the final stretch, the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group on Climate Change have raised an alarm over a perceived slow and insufficient pace of global climate action. According to the group, current efforts are dangerously inadequate to protect the more than one billion people represented and who live on the frontlines of the climate crisis.
Evans Njewa, Chair of the LDC Group
The organisation expressed concern over the continued delay in submitting updated and ambitious 1.5°C-aligned Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – especially by countries whose emissions reductions are critical to closing the gap – and the lack of ambition in many of those submitted to date. At the same time, progress on finalising measurable indicators for the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) remains worryingly stagnant, added the LDC.
“We are already enduring the most devastating consequences of climate change, cyclones, floods, droughts yet support continues to arrive too little and too late,” said Evans Njewa, Chair of the LDC Group. “The decisions made here in Bonn must reflect the urgency of our reality. Time is not on our side.”
As Parties approach the 2025 deadline for submitting new or updated NDCs, the LDC Group reiterated its call for NDCs that align with the 1.5°C temperature goal and reflect each country’s fair share of the global effort. With only 24 Parties having submitted their NDCs to date, the group urged developed countries and major emitters to lead by example through timely, science-based, and adequately financed submissions.
On climate finance, the LDC expressed disappointment at the outcome of the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), with weak and vague commitments that risk failing to scale-up funding and improve access to climate finance, particularly for vulnerable countries.
“The finance flows we are seeing do not match the scale of the crisis. We urge the COP30 Presidency to ensure a transparent and credible roadmap toward delivering $1.3 trillion in climate finance by 2035. This roadmap must provide clarity on sources, timelines, and accountability mechanisms,” said Njewa.
He stressed that the current goal on adaptation is disconnected from the realities faced in vulnerable countries. As a concrete outcome of this session and COP30 in Belém, he called for a commitment to triple adaptation finance by 2030.
As negotiations on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) continue, the LDC called for the establishment of robust indicators to measure progress across key sectors such as food, water, health, biodiversity, and resilient infrastructure.
It opposed attempts to dilute accountability by excluding indicators that reveal gaps in support or capacity.
“For us, success on the GGA will not be defined by the length of agreed text – but by lives saved and futures secured. We must track the means of implementation to ensure real progress.”
Four years since its establishment, the Mitigation Work Programme designed to urgently scale up ambition and action in this critical decade has severely drifted off track, observed that group, adding: “We are on a bumpy trajectory that could collapse this process as we note persistent resistance to addressing mitigation issues holistically, especially those linked to finance.”
The LDC added: “On Just Transition, we emphasise that our priorities differ significantly from those of developed economies. For us, a just transition means universal access to clean energy, enhanced energy security, green jobs, and most urgently comprehensive debt reform for our economies, many of which are facing unsustainable debt burdens.
“The UAE Just Transition Work Programme must not become a one-size-fits-all framework. If it is fit for purpose, it must centre the voices, needs, and realities of LDCs.
“We believe the road to COP30 offers a critical opportunity to restore trust in the multilateral climate process. That trust is hanging in balance. To rebuild it, developed countries must lead with ambition, finance, and fairness for effective implementation.
“We are committed to advancing the work here at SB62 and beyond. The world cannot afford to let the most vulnerable fall through the cracks.”
The Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) has called on the Abia State Government to urgently address the growing threat of erosion in Ebem Ohafia, a community grappling with increasing environmental degradation.
Erosion site at bem Ohafia, Abia State
According to a statement made available to EnviroNews, Executive Director of FENRAD, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, the erosion menace in the area has worsened over the years, posing serious risks to lives, homes, and livelihoods. The foundation noted that, without swift intervention, the situation could spiral into a full-blown humanitarian and environmental disaster.
“Properties have been damaged, families displaced, and the community is living under the threat of further erosion-related catastrophes,” stated Comrade Nwafor.
FENRAD outlined four key demands for the state government:
Immediate Damage Assessment – A full technical evaluation of the erosion-impacted areas to determine the scope and urgency of the situation.
Urgent Erosion Control Measures – Quick deployment of infrastructure solutions such as drainage systems, embankment reinforcements, and other critical interventions.
Relief for Affected Families – Provision of temporary shelter, food, and essential supplies to displaced and vulnerable residents.
Long-Term Erosion Management Plan – A sustainable, community-inclusive framework for managing erosion and promoting environmental conservation in Ebem Ohafia.
Nwafor emphasised that this is not just an environmental issue but also a public safety and development concern that requires immediate political will and action.
“As a civil society group committed to environmental justice and sustainability, we call on the Abia State Government to prioritise the welfare of its people and act now,” noted the advocate.
The foundation reaffirmed its commitment to supporting community resilience and environmental advocacy across the state, urging citizens, policymakers, and stakeholders to join in pushing for urgent and long-term solutions in Ebem Ohafia.
Ogun State Government says it has adopted a new strategy focused on innovation, job creation, and industrial sustainability in tackling Single Use Plastics (SUPs).
Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya
The State Commissioner for Environment, Dr Ola Oresanya, disclosed this in an interview on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in Lagos.
Oresanya, speaking in response to the recent ban on SUPs by the Lagos State Government, said Ogun adopted its new strategy after a thorough environmental assessment, leveraging available technology to drive meaningful change.
Though he commended the Lagos State Government for its policy direction on SUPs, the commissioner emphasised that Ogun’s unique socio-economic and industrial context required a customised approach to waste management and climate action.
“We respect what Lagos has done, especially given their population size and industrial dynamics,
“However, Ogun State is charting a different course – one that aligns with our goal of decarbonising industry while stimulating economic inclusion,” Oresanya said.
According to him, Ogun, a highly industrialised state, is implementing a climate strategy centred around reducing carbon emissions through alternative energy sources.
“One of the key solutions being pursued is the conversion of waste, particularly highly combustible materials like single-use plastics, into Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF).
RDF is an energy alternative for furnaces and kilns in cement and metal recycling industries.
“Single-use plastics have a high calorific value, making them ideal for industrial furnaces operating at high temperatures.
“Rather than banning them, we aim to create value through incentivised collection, feeding into the RDF supply chain,” Oresanya said.
He added that, to operationalise the vision, the state is establishing community waste aggregation centres where both organic and inorganic waste, including SUPs, would be processed into RDF.
He noted that the facilities were expected to provide low-skill employment opportunities, especially for vulnerable groups, while simultaneously addressing landfill constraints.
According to him, the state currently generates about 4,000 tonnes of waste per day, a figure far below the estimated 20,000 tonnes needed to fully power the RDF demand from industries.
Oresanya said that a pilot project was underway to optimise waste-to-fuel conversion, with plans to eventually import waste from other states to meet industrial demand.
He said that the initiative was supported by Manufacture Africa, a British corporation in partnership with McKinsey & Company and other international development organisations, all working to create a circular economy around waste in Ogun.
“This is a win-win strategy. We reduce pressure on landfills, provide industries with cleaner fuel alternatives, and put food on the table for thousands by creating jobs,” Oresanya said.
He explained that the Ogun model represented a forward-thinking approach to environmental management, balancing ecological sustainability with economic growth.
He added that instead of an outright ban on SUPs, the state was choosing to create value and opportunity from “what is otherwise seen as waste”.
As negotiations at Bonn enter their most critical phase, activists from across Latin America and Indigenous communities staged a powerful banner action today, sending a clear message to COP leaders: “Renewables in. Fossils out. Indigenous leadership and traditional communities first.”
2025 Bonn Climate Change Conference
The action served as a defiant stand for climate justice and a demand for bold political will, featuring a bold, horizontal banner held by dozens of climate justice advocates while speakers delivered powerful statements. These included demanding negotiators commit to a full, fair and funded phase-out of fossil fuels, a tripling of renewable energy capacity, and the recognition and inclusion of Indigenous and traditional communities’ leadership in all aspects of climate decision-making.
While a recent letter from the COP30 Presidency outlined intentions for process reform, campaigners are emphasising that what’s needed now is substantive reform rooted in urgency, ambition, and justice.
Chief Ninawá Inu Huni Kui says: “We demand and call on all institutions, governments and international organisations to recognise that there will be no solution to the climate crisis without the direct and effective presence of Indigenous peoples and local communities at the decision-making tables.
“Therefore, we call on all indigenous and local communities to organise themselves and strengthen their strategies to firmly and legitimately occupy all the seats at the tables of world leaders. We are not here to ask for permission; we are here to guide the way and ensure that decisions made to address climate change are guided by ancestral wisdom and a commitment to all forms of life.”
Alia Kajee, Global Campaigner, 350.org, says: “As one of the biggest democracies in the world, the home of the Rio Convention, we look to COP30 to lead with accountability and courage honouring all people and those who have the moral authority over climate. The time is now.
“We stand in solidarity with Indigenous and traditional communities; they are not just passive stakeholders – they are rights-holders. Their voices must not only be heard but heeded. Their leadership must shape the agenda – and not from the sidelines. The world is watching. And across the globe, people are rising.”
Abel Rodrigues, Member of Fridays For Future Brazil, says: “Oil won’t bring money to our people. They are promoting the narrative that we need oil in Amazonia for economic development. This is not true. It will result in the collapse of our environment and our people won’t see any of this money. We should continue focusing on renewables and be an international example to keep us all within 1.5°C.”
Francisco Kelvim, Coordinator for the Movement of People Affected by Dams and representative of the People’s Summit, says: “We’re building the Peoples’ Summit, an autonomous and independent process of mobilising peoples to change climate history at COP30. We will only confront the economic interests of the fossil industry with pressure and mobilisation of the peoples, which is why we have now more than 800 organisations around the world building that process.”
Civil society constituencies participating in the UNFCCC climate negotiations in Bonn, Germany on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, shared an open letter with all Parties to the Convention, raising urgent concerns over what appears to be the UNFCCC Secretariat’s arbitrary and escalating censorship of peaceful expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian people.
The letter – signed by the Women and Gender Constituency, YOUNGO, and Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations – the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice (DCJ) and Climate Action Network (CAN), calls attention to the Secretariat’s recent decision to prohibit the use of the phrase “End the Siege” during a planned action at SB62 in Bonn, despite allowing language such as “end the genocide.”
The UNFCCC Secretariat cited the need to “maintain a neutral and constructive environment,” but civil society actors reject the idea that silence in the face of a humanitarian catastrophe constitutes neutrality.
Tasneem Essop, Executive Director, Climate Action Network International, said: “Let’s be clear: the UNFCCC Secretariat is not neutral – it’s policing civil society while the rest of the UN system, including the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, openly call for an end to the siege of Gaza. When our banners are censored for using the same language as UN leaders, it’s not about rules – it’s about politics. The UNFCCC is embarrassingly out of step with the rest of the UN and with fundamental human rights. We refuse to be complicit in this erasure of the truth.”
The letter states: “Silence is not neutrality. To censor calls to ‘End the Siege’ is to condone it. The climate crisis cannot be addressed in isolation from broader struggles for justice and human rights.”
The letter
To: All Parties to the UNFCCC
Cc: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat
Bonn, 20th June 2025
Subject: Civil Society Protest Against UNFCCC’s Arbitrary Censorship of Solidarity with Palestine
Your Excellencies,
We write to you today with grave concern and indignation.
As civil society, we have been a part of the UNFCCC for close to three decades. Our engagement has included advocating for and bringing voices of peoples and communities on the frontlines through actions and press conferences inside the UNFCCC amongst others. For the last two years in the UNFCCC sessions, COP’s and SB’s, we have faced an escalating pattern of arbitrary censorship from the UNFCCC Secretariat – specifically targeting expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian peoples.
Despite our repeated efforts to navigate and comply with an increasingly ambiguous and inconsistent set of restrictions, the Secretariat has continued to impose arbitrary limits on our collective rights. Legitimate, peaceful expressions of solidarity – statements, words, signs, and slogans that align with international human rights and international humanitarian law – have been censored or blocked.
This situation has reached a new and deeply troubling low. The UNFCCC Secretariat, in a response to an application for a Palestine solidarity action in the venue of SB62, communicated that they could not authorise the use of the phrase “End the Siege” in the banners and any accompanying text. As they did not object to the other phrases we use, including “end the genocide”, their focus on the siege wording is unusual and perplexing. This further demonstrates the arbitrariness of their decision-making.
The reason provided by the UNFCCC Secretariat was their need to “maintain a neutral and constructive environment that supports open dialogue among Parties”, and authorisation must be assessed in light of the current context. We struggle to understand how a clamp down on the calling out of an ongoing and well-documented humanitarian catastrophe can be considered neutral, particularly when the UN Secretary General, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and representatives of other UN bodies have called for the same thing using the same language. In addition, a majority of states who are also Parties to the UNFCCC process have voted for a resolution in the UN General Assembly demanding an immediate and lasting ceasefire and an end to the blockade in Gaza. To silence the call to “End the Siege” is to condone it.
This is no longer a question of procedure or neutrality. It is picking a side, and in this case, a side that does not align with the UN’s own values and international humanitarian law. Civil society has decided to end our negotiations on Palestinian Solidarity actions with the Secretariat that compromises our rights to civic space and freedom of expression within this space. We refuse to accept a decision that directly contradicts the rights and freedoms that the UN was founded to protect. We have therefore decided to make our grievances public in the hope that all people of conscience will support basic human rights and bring it to the attention of Parties because the UNFCCC Secretariat’s attempts at silencing us is done in the name of Parties. .
The climate crisis is inseparable from questions of justice and human rights. The Paris Agreement itself is emphatic that “Parties should, when taking action to address climate change, respect, promote and consider their respective obligations on human rights […]”
The Secretariat’s refusal to acknowledge an unfolding crime against humanity, together with its active suppression of calls to end the genocide and siege, and doing so in the name of Parties in the UNFCCC, has deeply shaken our confidence in this body’s ability to safeguard humanity’s future. This is a sentiment that echoes far beyond these walls, and risks making multilateralism irrelevant to humanity.
The UNFCCC Secretariat’s narrow understanding of climate, ignoring its intersections with civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, not only is contrary to the Convention and the Paris Agreement but will lead to a failure in finding systematic and sustained solutions to the climate crisis.
We appeal to Parties to reaffirm the rights of civil society, particularly our freedom of expression in calling out a genocide and the vested interests that uphold this as well as the climate crisis.
Silence is not neutrality.
Sincerely,
Women and Gender Constituency (WGC)
Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations – Campaign to Demand Climate Justice(ENGO/DCJ)
The Second African Conference on Agricultural Technologies (ACAT2025) has taken place in Kigali, Rwanda, reigniting a sense of purpose – that Africa’s smallholder farmers can lead the continent into a food-secure, technologically enabled future with the right alliances, resources and resolve.
Former President of Nigeria and Africa’s Ambassador for Agricultural Technology, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, in a handshake pose with Prof. Olalekan Akinbo, Ag. Head, Genome Editing Programme, African Union Development Agency-NEPAD
The conference showcased cutting-edge innovations from Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered agronomic advisors, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled irrigation systems to gene-edited crops and blockchain traceability platforms aimed at transforming smallholder farming across the continent.
Special sessional demonstrations answered the question of exactly how these innovations would improve and transform the lot of Africa’s smallholder farmers. From a lay man’s perspective, the AI and IoT agronomic innovations are supplementing the activities of Agricultural Extension Officers who are gradually becoming “endangered.”
The demonstrations featured AI and IoT agri-based technologies such as iSDA Africa’s Virtual Agronomist programmed to provide customized farming advice in the area of nutrient planning, pest/disease diagnostics and crop yield tracking via whatsapp, which some Ugandan and Tanzania farmers are already benefitting from. The Satellite and Sensor-based tools such as real time remote sensing platforms are used for field-level crop stress monitoring, water efficiency and planting optimisation.
Others included the IoT-enabled irrigation systems that adjust watering based on real-time soil moisture and weather data, which has proven to improve efficiency in water-scarce regions. Zipline’s drone-assisted scouting and planting that is useful for pest detection, spraying and precision seeding. Then, Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)’s small scale aquaponic food production for integrated fish and plant farming.
The demonstrations clearly established not just the practicality of these virtual agric-tech innovations currently being piloted in very few African countries, but the urgent need to scale up their adoption continent wide.
The Opening Session
ACAT2025, was organised under the auspices of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and the Rwandan Government on the theme: “NextGen Ag-Tech Solutions for Africa’s Farmer.” It brought together over 800 African and international delegates from the public and private agriculture sectors and included high level policy makers, research institutions, academia, funding partners, private sector players, farmers and youth groups.
The four-day conference, held from Monday June 9 to Thursday June 12, 2025, served as a continental platform that discussed the development, adoption, and scaling of innovative technologies that can unlock sustainable productivity, empower Africa’s farmers to transform the continent’s food systems, ensure food security and make agriculture attractive to Africa’s youth.
Rwanda’s Prime Minister, Dr. Édouard Ngirente, formally opened ACT2025. He was hopeful that aside knowledge sharing, the ACAT platform would be used “to also forge practical partnerships that can scale proven innovations and bring real transformation to smallholder farmers who are the true custodians of Africa’s food systems.”
The Prime Minister urged governments and development partners to create supportive ecosystems for innovation, inclusive policies, infrastructure investment and active farmer participation.
Former Nigerian President and Africa’s Ambassador for Agricultural Technology, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, pointed out that transforming Africa’s agriculture can only happen through regional, institutional and sector cooperation. He stressed that such collaboration is required “… to birth and sustain a new era of farming and food production. It is a high-paced era that leaves no room for excuses. Africa must make progress and move forward.”
AgTech: Farmer-centered/farmer co-creator
In another session, Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, emphasized that enabling African farmers to adopt technology requires “a paradigm shift where farmers are placed at the center of innovation, decision-making, and investment.”
Echoing a similar sentiment, the Executive Director of the AATF, Dr. Canisius Kanangire, stated: “When farmer-centered technologies are implemented within a supportive and enabling environment, they significantly increase productivity, improve livelihoods, and drive economic empowerment.”
However, farmers who attended the conference were of the view that beyond technologies being farmer-centered, farmers should also be deeply involved in the development of these technologies. At the farmer’s dialogue session, they declared that “farmers must be co-creators of the technologies that affect their lives and livelihoods.”
But for African farmers to better benefit from innovative technologies, panelists at a session on digital infrastructure, agreed on the urgent need to address critical challenges including limited internet connectivity, digital illiteracy, affordability issues, and inadequate infrastructure maintenance that could obstruct farmers adoption of innovative technologies.
For the way forward, the panelists proposed co-designing technologies with farmers, simplifying digital tools, building trust through training, and shifting rural mindsets toward embracing modern agriculture.
Financing AgTech
Another set of panelists tackled the complex issue of financing AgTech innovations. They called for alignment between risk mitigation, private sector capital, and supportive policies, underscoring that innovation must scale through farmers, not around them. They identified increased agricultural lending, investment in crop innovation, and stronger collaboration on regulatory frameworks as major areas for commitment.
The Managing Director of Equity Bank Rwanda, Hannington Namara, who was on the panel, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to allocate at least 30 per cent of its total loan portfolio to agriculture, with plans to scale further as risk factors are addressed. He urged other financial institutions across Africa to follow suit and prioritize agriculture in their lending strategies.
The session concluded with a strong message that “agriculture’s potential is not limited by opportunity but by alignment. Risks are real but solvable through shared responsibility, policy cohesion, and innovation that places the farmer at the center.”
Other major highlights
ACAT2025 also spotlighted the role of youth in shaping the future of agriculture. A dedicated session on mentorship and deal-matching for young agri-innovators provided a platform for emerging entrepreneurs to pitch ideas and explore partnerships. The session concluded that for young people to fully tap into available financial resources for agri-innovation, they must also develop complementary skills like effective communication to strengthen their pitches to donors and play a central role in feeding the continent.
A key highlight of the conference was the formal announcement of a strategic partnership between AATF and AgriEdge, aimed at boosting the development and uptake of digital agricultural technologies across Sub-Saharan Africa. The partnership will foster the exchange of technology-driven innovations and knowledge that benefits smallholder farmers, researchers, and policymakers alike.
A high-level ministerial dialogue involving Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania recognized enhanced investment, integrating gender perspectives, and aligning national budgets with agricultural technology as areas requiring priority national attention. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan used the occasion to urge African governments to intensify their efforts, stating: “Africa has what it takes: talent, land, ingenuity and political will.”
He further called on governments to create a stable and transparent environment for investors by strengthening biosafety frameworks, investing in rural infrastructure, and ensuring agricultural priorities are reflected in national budgeting.
AATF’s Executive Director, Dr. Kanangire, for his part, stressed the urgency of action, remarking, “It is not the seed in the field that feeds the nation; it is the seed in the soil.”
The closing sessions of ACAT2025 reinforced the need for continued multi-stakeholder collaboration, strong public-private partnerships, and sustained investment in agricultural research and technology.
