A huge increase in investment for innovation in sustainable agri-food systems (SAS) will be critical for meeting the objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement.

To meet the growing demand for food in the Global South in a sustainable manner, current funding in agricultural innovation will need to be increased exponentially. Some estimates suggest up to USD 320 billion annually is required to help meet the UN SDG Goals for food and agriculture by 2030. Current levels of funding for agriculture and agricultural innovation fall far short of this and hence efforts to induce more funding for these goals, including through the use of new financing instruments1, is critical going forward.

The only specialized multilateral development institution focused exclusively on rural development, IFAD has successfully used agriculture as a means of poverty reduction – contributing ~USD 22 billion in funding to date1. About 90% of IFAD's portfolio is focused on Low to Middle Income (LMI) countries. IFAD stands out with its nutrition and gender-sensitive lenses coupled with investments in climate-resilient agriculture – mainstreaming nutrition, gender, and climate change work in agriculture.

The EU-funded Horizon 2020 “Small Farms, Small Food Businesses and Sustainable Food Security” (SALSA) project has brought together 16 partners, from European and African countries and the UN system, who have a unique blend of multidisciplinary expertise and experience from a wide range of geographical and socio-political realities. 
SALSA has aimed to provide a better understanding of the current and potential contribution of small farms and food businesses to sustainable Food and Nutrition Security (FNS).

In rural areas of developing countries, more than 70% of the population still depends on agriculture. However, economic crises, unscientific land allocation and climate change issues have hindered attempted gains in agricultural productivity and related rural development outcomes. Technology-driven breakthrough has usually pushed agriculture to the brink of another development that can affect not only plant diversity and yield, but also climatological and socio-economic outcomes.

Food security is critical to creating an inclusive and peaceful world. Accelerating the pace of innovation in agriculture will be key to addressing the many challenges facing our planet. ACS Agricultural Science & Technology (AAST) supports the building of inclusive science communities to speed progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).