UNGA80: A Turning Point for Global Agriculture and Climate Action

As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary, the 2025 General Assembly (UNGA80) opened in New York with a strong call to renew multilateralism under the theme “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development, and Human Rights.” For the global agricultural private sector, this milestone gathering was a clarion call to accelerate transformation in food systems, climate resilience, and green investment. 

From September 9 to 28, 2025, heads of state, ministers and business leaders convened to tackle pressing issues spanning peace, sustainable development, health and the climate crisis. The high-level General Debate  held from September 23–29 turned the UN’s iconic green marble podium into a stage for ambitious ideas, many pointing to the critical intersection between agriculture, climate, and economic stability.

Climate Action and NDC Ambition: A Call to the Private Sector 

One of the defining moments of UNGA80 was the Special High-Level Event on Climate Action. Ahead of COP30 in Brazil, world leaders presented updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – the backbone of the Paris Agreement’s climate commitments. Agriculture featured prominently, as nations highlighted food production both as a source of emissions and a key lever for solutions. 

Private sector voices, especially from agribusiness, echoed the UN Secretary-General’s message, ‘the clean energy transition and climate-smart agriculture are not just environmental imperatives, but economic opportunities’. Companies showcased innovations in regenerative farming, low-emission fertilizers, soil carbon sequestration and digital climate monitoring. These technologies are essential for achieving the next generation of NDC targets. 

Agrifood investors and producers asserted that aligning operations with national climate strategies isn’t optional but strategic. With more than 120 countries updating NDCs to include stronger agricultural targets, UNGA80 underscored that the future of farming is climate-aligned. 

Financing the Future: SDGs and Food Systems 

The Biennial Summit on Financing for Sustainable Development brought renewed urgency to mobilize capital for rural economies. Leaders acknowledged that sustainable agriculture, which is the backbone of food security and livelihoods for billions, remains underfinanced. The private sector was urged to help fill the SDG financing gap, particularly in climate adaptation, agritech, and smallholder resilience. 

Development banks and investors highlighted blended finance models that de-risk green agricultural projects in emerging markets. These models, if scaled, could unlock new value chains in Africa, Asia and Latin America. 

Health, Equity and Resilience 

The High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health added another layer of relevance to agriculture. With diet-related illnesses on the rise, leaders emphasized sustainable food systems as key to both planetary and human health. The agricultural industry has a growing role in promoting nutritious, climate-resilient crops and reducing dependency on highly processed foods. 

Looking Ahead: From Pledges to Practice 

As UNGA80 closed, Assembly President Annalena Baerbock urged nations to turn words into action. For the agricultural private sector, that means investing in low-carbon supply chains, data transparency and inclusive partnerships with farmers and governments. 

Eighty years on, the UN remains a “house of diplomacy and dialogue.” Yet, for agriculture and climate stakeholders, UNGA80 made one thing unmistakable: the next decade must be the decade of climate-smart growth, where food, finance and the future are cultivated together.