COP31 Puts Agriculture on the Agenda: Presidency Letter Backs Farmers’ Call on Food Security

ANTALYA, Türkiye — The COP31 presidency has put agriculture firmly on this year’s UN climate agenda, publishing a formal letter that addresses the future of the UN’s farming-focused climate work — and winning the backing of the World Farmers’ Organisation, which wants that work to continue well beyond the Antalya summit.

The fourth COP31 Presidency letter, published on 5 October 2026 and jointly signed by President-Designate Murat Kurum, Türkiye’s environment minister, and Chris Bowen, Australia’s climate minister and President of Negotiations, explicitly addresses the Sharm el-Sheikh Joint Work on agriculture and food security.

What the letter says

In the letter, the two leaders state: “After four years, the Sharm el-Sheikh Joint Work on Agriculture has provided valuable lessons regarding climate action for agriculture and food security.” They commit to working with countries “to capture the outcomes of this work and to identify next steps.”

The Sharm el-Sheikh Joint Work on Implementation of Climate Action on Agriculture and Food Security was launched at COP27 in Egypt in 2022 with a four-year mandate. That mandate concludes at COP31 — meaning the Antalya summit is the moment countries must decide what happens next. Several unresolved agriculture negotiation items were already deferred from the June Bonn climate talks (SB64) to Antalya, according to the World Farmers’ Organisation.

Farmers’ organisations demand continuity

The World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), which coordinates the UNFCCC Farmers’ Constituency, welcomed the letter. In its own letter to the Türkiye presidency dated 31 July 2026, WFO called on COP31 to secure the continuation of the UN’s work on agriculture and food security beyond the conference — including extending the Sharm el-Sheikh Joint Work so it provides long-term continuity for implementation-oriented agricultural climate action.

WFO also asked for dedicated spaces and engagement platforms at COP31 where farmers can exchange practical experience, assess which solutions work on the ground, and engage directly with governments — and for support in connecting with Turkish farmers’ organisations and cooperatives.

A farmer walks through a ripe wheat field at sunrise. The COP31 presidency says agriculture and food security are central to this year’s climate agenda. (Illustrative image)

Why it matters

Agriculture is both a victim of climate change and part of the solution. Farming systems are under pressure from heat, drought and floods, while food production itself must adapt and cut emissions. Agriculture already features prominently in the COP31 presidency’s stated agenda, alongside food security, water efficiency, the circular economy, methane emissions and zero waste, and sustainable agriculture and food systems are listed among the presidency’s priority themes.

The presidency has branded COP31 an “Implementation COP” focused on turning existing commitments into results. For farmers’ groups, the agriculture workstream is a test of that promise: decisions in Antalya will determine whether the UN keeps a dedicated track for farm-level climate action after 2026.

What happens next

The presidency says it will work with Parties to capture the outcomes of the four-year agriculture work and identify the next steps. COP31 takes place at the Antalya EXPO Center from 9 to 20 November 2026, including a World Leaders’ Summit on 11–12 November, under the unusual Türkiye–Australia dual arrangement: Türkiye holds the presidency and hosts, while Australia leads the formal negotiations.

Read Watan News’ coverage of the presidency’s plan for a pre-drafted decision at COP31 and the climate desk’s full coverage.

FAKTA: COP31 and agriculture

• What: The fourth COP31 Presidency letter, published 5 October 2026, puts agriculture and food security on the Antalya agenda.
• Who: Jointly signed by President-Designate Murat Kurum (Türkiye) and President of Negotiations Chris Bowen (Australia).
• Key issue: The future of the Sharm el-Sheikh Joint Work on agriculture, launched at COP27 with a four-year mandate ending at COP31.
• Farmers’ demand: The World Farmers’ Organisation wants the work extended beyond COP31, with dedicated farmer platforms at the summit.
• When: COP31 runs 9–20 November 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye.