Today, during the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) Summit, USAID Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman spotlighted USAID’s Innovation Sprints to increase investments in climate-smart agriculture.

“Actions by the private sector are essential for a food system that can withstand the impacts of climate change. We appreciate Bayer’s launch of their $60 million Innovation Sprint for precision crop breeding to support farmers around the world,” Deputy Administrator Coleman said. This Sprint will give farmers another set of tools for confronting more challenging growing conditions because of climate change.”

Deputy Administrator Coleman also announced more details of an Innovation Sprint with the Irish government, private sector companies, including Pyxus and Malawi Mangoes, and research partners like the Peanut Innovation Lab and International Centre for Potato to transform food and energy systems in Malawi. The goal of the currently $75 million dollar Innovation Sprint is to help Malawi’s smallholder farmers transition to more climate resilient crops and cleaner energy. Notably, the Irish government recently increased their contribution, including support to gender-specific efforts within the Innovation Sprint. This announcement builds on the long-standing partnership between the United States and Ireland to combat global hunger and food insecurity.

Deputy Administrator Coleman called on participants of the AIM for Climate Summit to increase their commitments not just to Innovation Sprints, but also to ensure these investments make  an impact for smallholder farmers, especially women farmers. 

Since its launch by President Biden at COP26, AIM for Climate  has mobilized three billion dollars through Innovation Sprints, private sector investments that advance R&D and deployment for climate smart food systems and $10 billion in public investments. AIM for Climate is a pioneering initiative led by the United States and the United Arab Emirates focused on increasing investment and enabling greater public-private and cross-sectoral partnerships to drive climate-smart agriculture and food systems. 

Original source can be found here.