As El Niño intensifies, we should be investing more in the world's farmers

KUALA LUMPUR, 29 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

El Niño Intensifies as Climate Finance for Global Farmers Declines, Risking Food Security Crisis

The timing could not be worse. El Niño disrupts rainfall patterns, exacerbating droughts in some regions and floods in others, while climate change has already made growing seasons less predictable. The consequences are already visible: Sri Lanka’s drought has depleted water sources and slashed crop yields, Indonesia is battling its worst wildfire season in 11 years, and Peru is preparing for devastating floods and landslides that could displace 1.2 million people.

With El Niño intensifying, these risks will escalate, yet critical investment in agricultural resilience is shrinking—despite the sector’s role in feeding over a billion people and sustaining livelihoods worldwide.

The FAO’s analysis underscores the urgency. In 2024, climate finance for agrifood systems—covering crops, livestock, forestry, and fisheries—fell to just 5% of total climate-related development funding, a stark contrast to the need. "This is precisely the moment when climate investment in agriculture needs to grow, not shrink," the FAO’s forthcoming report states.

Without intervention, a single failed harvest can trigger cascading crises: farmers forced to sell livestock or tools, deepening food insecurity, supply chain disruptions, and price spikes that ripple globally.

Central America’s Dry Corridor illustrates both the vulnerability and the potential of targeted investment. Spanning much of the region, the corridor faces a 50% chance of agricultural drought over the coming months, threatening 1.9 million smallholder farmers who grow maize, beans, and other staples for both subsistence and sale.

In El Salvador, a pilot project called RECLIMA, funded by the Green Climate Fund and implemented by the FAO in partnership with the government, has helped over 50,000 farmers adopt drought-resistant practices. These include water-conserving irrigation systems, mulching to retain soil moisture, and agroforestry to reduce evaporation.

For María Cristina Corvera de López, a second-generation farmer in rural Nahualapa, these adaptations have been transformative. "The effects of climate change are a constant challenge," she says, describing how she now captures every drop of rain, uses drip irrigation, and repurposes agricultural waste as mulch. Her yields have risen from 50 bags of maize per acre to 80—enough to sustain her family and generate surplus for sale, even during droughts.

The project’s success hinges on climate finance channeled before disasters strike, proving that adaptation is not just a cost but a strategic investment in resilience.

The FAO’s data highlights a critical shift: adaptation finance accounted for 45% of climate-related agrifood investments in 2024, reflecting growing recognition that proactive measures—such as drought-resistant crops, improved irrigation, and early warning systems—can mitigate risks far more effectively than reactive relief. Multilateral development banks are increasingly directing funds toward these efforts, but the scale remains insufficient.

"Cutting investment in the people who produce our food just as climate risks intensify does not save money," the FAO warns. Instead, it defers a far larger bill to future harvests, food crises, and El Niño events.

The contrast between El Salvador’s success and the broader trend of declining climate finance for agriculture underscores a global paradox. While El Niño’s intensification threatens to destabilize food systems, the financial tools to build resilience are diminishing. Experts warn that without urgent action, the consequences will extend far beyond borders—disrupting global supply chains, inflating food prices, and exacerbating geopolitical tensions over scarce resources.

The question now is whether policymakers will prioritize long-term investment in farmers or risk compounding the next crisis.

Related: María Cristina Corvera de López