World Economic Forum 2025/
3 food systems transformation insights from Davos

World leaders and experts gathered at Davos on January 20-24 for the World Economic Forum 2025. The theme was "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age" with subtopics including Reimagining Growth, Safeguarding the Planet and Investing in People. As the crossover between climate change mitigation and food systems transformation becomes increasingly apparent, there were several key takeaways from this year’s forum focusing specifically on food and agriculture.    

1. Global collaboration and innovation in food systems

Her Excellency Mariam Almheiri, Head of International Affairs at the Presidential Court, UAE emphasized the necessity of transforming food systems to address global challenges like food security and climate change. In a panel discussion titled “Breaking down food” she advocated for integrating nutrition into food, climate, and agriculture ecosystems to enhance resilience, reduce climate impacts, and improve global health. Almheiri highlighted the UAE's proactive role through initiatives such as the COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture and partnerships like the UAE-Gates Foundation AIM for Scale program, which mobilizes financing for projects in developing nations.

2. Africa’s agri food systems investment

The ATLAS initiative (Agricultural Transitions Lab for African Solutions) launched the "2x30 Challenge" at Davos, aiming to double annual investments in Africa’s agri-food systems from $50 billion to $100 billion by 2030. This effort seeks to close Africa's $200 billion annual funding gap in agriculture, enhance food security, and contribute significantly to achieving global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The initiative also plans to track funding through an annual Investment Barometer to ensure transparency and accountability.

3. Food security and climate change

Discussions also underscored the growing threat of climate change to global food systems. During a high-level panel discussion titled “When climate redefines health”, South African Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen warned that disruptions in food systems could pose significant health risks worldwide. Experts called for coordinated efforts involving governments, private sectors, and civil society to address these challenges effectively.

GPC continues to advocate for pulses as a powerful tool in the pursuit of food systems transformation, promoting the inherent ability of these superhero crops to mitigate climate change, malnutrition and food insecurity the world over.