Launching UN Joint Programme: Leveraging Finance to Scale Up Climate-Resilient Food Systems - Resident Coordinator's Speech, Gita Sabharwal

Pak Teguh, Deputy Minister Bappenas

Representatives from Line Ministries

HE Sharon Lennon Ambassador of Ireland 

Representatives from Embassies of Spain, Germany and Italy 

My colleagues from FAO, UNDP and IFAD

Selamat Pagi.

Let me begin by thanking BAPPENAS for its leadership in advancing food systems transformation in Indonesia.

Indonesia has emerged as a global champion of food systems transformation - through the Food Systems Summit, the Stocktake, and the Convergence Initiative to deepen the link between food systems and climate.  

This leadership is now firmly anchored at the highest political level, with President Prabowo placing food security and improved nutrition at the top of his administration’s priorities.

Delivering on this ambition while staying fully aligned with Indonesia’s NDC commitments requires a decisive shift in how food is produced. 

Agriculture accounts for seven percent of national emissions, and the pathway forward is clear: higher productivity, greater resilience, and lower emissions through climate-smart agriculture.

The challenge is equally clear. 

Smallholders, who represent 93 percent of Indonesia’s farmers, face two binding constraints: access to technology and access to finance.

This Joint Programme is designed to unlock both.

By bringing together the technical expertise of FAO, UNDP, and IFAD, the programme deploys climate-smart and innovative agricultural practices, de-risks sustainable production through rice farmer insurance, and scales inclusive financing mechanisms that are already proven to work in Indonesia.

Coherence is at the core of the design. The Joint Programme is sequenced to pilot, leverage, and scale impact by deploying solutions, de-risking investments, and mobilizing finance. 

FAO is supporting the deployment of climate-smart technologies - ranging from drought-resilient crop varieties and solar-powered irrigation to fertilizer reduction and water-saving rice paddies - to raise productivity.

UNDP and IFAD is scaling these solutions through public-private insurance provider to introduce affordable insurance for rice framers. In parallel, partnership with Indonesia Environment Fund will unlock credit for agro and social forestry enterprises, including coffee and cocoa, enabling MSMEs and community enterprises to scale sustainable land-use.

Importantly, we are not starting from zero. 

Working through and alongside existing Government programmes, the Joint Programme will reach nearly half a million smallholder farmers, including women and young farmers across two biggest food producing provinces – East Java and Lampung.

The programme will also leverage proceeds from SDG Bonds and Green Sukuk to support biofortification of rice seeds and climate smart technology solutions.  

Our ambition is matched by scale. From a $2 million Joint Programme investment, we are targeting to mobilize $205 million in public and private finance.

The outcome is clear: a more secure, resilient, and nutritious food system for Indonesia.

This is not transformation on paper. This is transformation in motion.

Let me conclude by thanking Ireland, Germany Italy and Spain for your generous contribution to the Joint SDG Fund. 

Your support is enabling Indonesia to turn its national ambition into a scalable, climate-aligned model benefiting farmers, and accelerating progress towards the SDGs.

Terima Kasih.