BELÉM, Brazil, Nov 20 (IPS) – The language of sustainability in agriculture changes with the seasons: from ‘climate-friendly’ to ‘regenerative’, ‘agroecological’ and ‘nature-positive’. Each term reflects good intentions, but the growing list risks duplication, confusion and delay.
The recent one CSA conference in Brasilia have brought together leaders from policy, science and finance ahead of COP30 to focus not on buzzwords, but on the shared foundations of sustainable food systems, which is all the more important in the Serious New World. Despite all the different theories of change, many share the same principles of soil health, crop innovation, inclusive finance and resilient livestock farming.
In the midst of the COP30 climate talks, consensus will hinge on recognizing that climate action and protecting livelihoods must move forward together. Leaders must challenge themselves to measure success not only in emissions reductions, but also in the quality of life supported by a thriving and resilient rural economy. Now Brazil’s COP presidency is determined to reach agreements faster actionthe challenge now is to accept and promote context-specific approaches in pursuit of a common goal.
Today, fragmentation continues to divide institutions, donors, NGOs and producers, with competing ideologies slowing progress towards sustainability at the required speed and scale. For example, while a large number of organizations currently support the concept of regenerative agriculture, others are pursuing the paths of sustainable intensification or climate-smart agriculture. But some practices, such as agroforestry, could fall under any of these concepts.
And the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture (KJWA), established before COP26, has been succeeded by Sharm el-Sheikh Joint Work on the Implementation of Climate Action on Agriculture and Food Security, and yet farmers are still waiting for clear national strategies resulting from years of workshops and working papers. While the principles underlying these joint work programs are sound, this is not the case generated action at the speed necessary.
On the other hand, the six CSA conference themes – from soil health and crop innovation to finance and policy – provide a foundational framework around which there is already much agreement and that can deliver results under whatever buzzword it is categorized under. The themes also reflect the priorities of Brazil’s Action Agenda and the ABC+ Plan, highlighting practical areas of consensus.
Brazil’s experiences provide tangible examples of how shared priorities can move from discussion to implementation. The ABC+ subscription (2020–2030) forms the backbone of the country’s low-carbon agriculture strategy, integrating sustainable practices such as no-till farming, pasture restoration and biological nitrogen fixation into a coherent national framework. It represents a direct contribution to the agricultural pillar of the COP30 Action Agenda, transforming abstract objectives on soil health and productivity into measurable results.
Building on this, that of Brazil RENOVAGRO is the financing arm that enables the implementation of the ABC+ Plan, and shows how public policy can activate private investments to advance all the ambitions of the Action Agenda together. By linking credit eligibility to verified adoption of low-carbon practices, the program enables farmers to commit to transitions that would otherwise be out of reach. This achieves the policy objectives of the ABC+ Plan and demonstrates that progress does not necessarily depend on new ideas, but on decisive action on the systems that already work.
At COP30, the challenge is not to settle for the right language, but to take the right actions – whatever this may look like, depending on local circumstances and resources. Progress depends on scaling up what we already agree on: sound policies, accessible financing that does not exclude vulnerable populations, and resilient food systems that keep production within ecological limits. In the next phase, implementation should take priority over invention.
Leaders have the opportunity to move from promises to performance. The task ahead is to scale what already works – not to define new concepts, but to deliver proven solutions faster.
The example of Brazil shows that integration works better than focusing on the constant search for a universal solution. There is no single path forward, only a combination of context-specific approaches, bound by diplomatic agreements and sustainable financing.
By focusing on fundamentals, we can avoid the paralysis of competing definitions and start acting collectively, applying the policies and practices we know work in ways that fit local realities.
Ana Maria LoboguerreroDirector of Adaptive and Equitable Food Systems at Gates Foundation
Dhanush Dineshmain climate catalyst at Clim-Eat
IPS UN Office
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