The OPEC Fund for International Development and CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) have signed a cooperation agreement to develop investment-ready programs focused on climate-resilient agriculture, sustainable food systems and rural resilience, as development institutions increase efforts to address food insecurity and climate risks across emerging economies.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Islamic Development Bank Group Annual Meetings by OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa and CGIAR Executive Managing Director Ismahane Elouafi.
The partnership is expected to support the operationalisation of the OPEC Fund’s Food Security and Climate Adaptation Facility, which finances projects in climate-resilient agriculture, water management, food value chains, early-warning systems and rural infrastructure.
Under the agreement, CGIAR will serve as a strategic technical partner, supporting project identification, technical review, country engagement, program design and implementation.
OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said: “This agreement combines CGIAR’s scientific and technical expertise with the OPEC Fund’s financing capacity and country partnerships. Our joint focus is on developing practical, scalable programs that strengthen food systems, support rural communities and improve climate resilience. Today’s agreement is a powerful renewal of a partnership that goes back many years and has yielded very successful results.”
The collaboration comes as multilateral lenders and research institutions face growing pressure to help countries strengthen food systems against climate shocks, rising temperatures and supply chain disruptions that have intensified food inflation and agricultural vulnerabilities in many developing economies.
CGIAR Executive Managing Director Ismahane Elouafi added: “By bringing together CGIAR’s world-class science capacity and the OPEC Fund’s catalytic financing and convening power, we can accelerate innovation, scale impact and transform research into solutions for the countries and communities that need them most.”
The two institutions said they will identify priority countries, develop national and regional programs and work to mobilize additional financing from development institutions and philanthropic partners.
The agreement also deepens a long-standing relationship between the two organizations. To date, the OPEC Fund has provided CGIAR with technical assistance grants totaling nearly $25 million.
The latest partnership reflects growing efforts by development finance institutions to shift from short-term agricultural interventions toward larger-scale investments aimed at improving climate adaptation, boosting rural productivity and strengthening long-term food security.
