Abstract

Local communities in fragile settings, including forcibly displaced people, face the brunt of humanitarian and climate crises, which disproportionately impact small-scale farmers, herders, fishers, forest dwellers, food workers and their families. Together, they account for more than 2.5 billion people who are vital for food and nutrition security. Managing over 80% of the world’s estimated 500 million small farms, local communities with agrifood livelihoods produce over 80% of the food supplied in crisis settings and much of the developing world. Thus they play a critical role in addressing humanitarian needs, poverty reduction, and food security. However, many remain among the world’s poorest and most food insecure, struggling to sustain their livelihoods amidst mounting and cascading climate, environmental and socio-economic crises and compounded by conflicts and worsened by  very limited support.
This session will provide an opportunity to hear directly from local communities about their experiences and work in addressing climate risks and impacts on the frontlines of humanitarian crises.  Community representatives who depend on agriculture and food related livelihoods for their job, income and food, will provide their perspectives on what they need to effectively address the climate crisis in humanitarian settings, how international actors can support their agency for leading more inclusive and resilient agrifood systems for better food security.
By spotlighting the invisible yet vital work of local communities on the frontline of the climate crisis, particularly in food crisis and humanitarian settings with displaced populations, the session will highlight how these individuals—often left to face crises alone—are not only the most affected but also key actors in driving transformative changes for resilience and adaptation- from food production to consumption. Through listening to frontline voices, understanding their challenges and exploring local community-driven solutions, participants will gain practical actionable insights into how tailored support can help smallholders help themselves to adapt and be more resilient in the face of a rapidly changing climate.
Targeted at humanitarian practitioners, policymakers, civil society, donors and other stakeholders in agriculture and food security, this informative session will underscore the urgent need for shaping more locally led, coherent, convergent and coordinated climate action to address multiple challenges and unlock the potential of local communities as frontline leaders to address the interconnected climate and hunger crises.

Expected Outcomes:
•    Increased understanding of local communities' priority needs in fragile settings.
•    Enhanced appreciation of locally led climate action for building climate-resilient agrifood systems and food security in fragile settings.
•    Voices of frontline local communities in climate and food crisis and humanitarian settings shared to inform priorities of humanitarian and climate actors, including advocacy for and during COP30.
Target Audience:
Humanitarian practitioners, policymakers, donor representatives, and stakeholders interested in climate resilience and agrifood systems in fragile settings.
Session Type:
Informative Session during the remote week that will further inform and feed into the similar in person session during the second week.