UK International Climate Finance and Food Imports
UK joining forces with 60 other countries to help farmers directly responsible for producing staples like bananas, rice, tea and coffee to adapt to climate change.
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New analysis from the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) [1] has found that the UK has co-invested in at least 348 projects supporting overseas farmers struggling with climate extremes. Investments were made via the six main multilateral climate funds and alongside other major economies like Germany and France [2]. The analysis found the projects span 111 countries, 84 of which (76%) grow food sold on UK supermarket shelves.
UK climate aid helps farmers in projects across 111 countries, 84 of which (76%) grow food sold on UK supermarket shelves.
@ECIU_UK analysis:
One example is Colombia which grows around a third (30%) of the UK’s bananas; 253m kilograms worth £169m in 2023. Colombia, along with other parts of the Amazon Basin, has experienced exceptional drought since mid-2023.
As temperatures rise, so does the incidence of drought, floods, pests and disease, which reduces banana quality and yields. Without intervention, Colombia is predicted to become unsuitable for growing bananas.
The UK, alongside other countries, supports banana farmers in Colombia via a project under the Green Climate Fund [4], which enables more efficient water use and the cultivation of varieties more tolerant to climate impacts, ensuring Colombian farmers can continue to grow them.