On 20 and 21 October 2023, more than 70 donors and investors met in Rome in advance of the Committee on World Food Security deliberations to discuss how to boost food system transformation through investing in agroecology. This meeting was attended by government members of the Agroecology Coalition, bilateral and multilateral development cooperation agencies, multilateral development banks and financial institutions, private philanthropic organizations and impact investors. 

One of the main discussions in the meeting was to explore which kind of investments are needed for which aspects of agroecological transformation. Participants acknowledge that agroecology is a deep and systemic approach, and therefore requires more holistic thinking, more patient capital that is flexible and long-term (beyond the usual 3-year project cycles) funding, and more participatory and inclusive approaches that support the agency of those that are leading agroecology transitions on the ground. Here investments are critical in farmers organizations and networks, small and medium enterprises, social movements, and the enabling ecosystems of actors providing technical assistance, market support, and other types of support. 

Increasing investment in agroecology is also not simply about mobilizing new money. It is also about shifting existing funds in the right direction (e.g., repurposing agriculture subsidies currently allocated to high-input agriculture); about exploring impact investments and divestment from unsustainable practices, and about promoting internal alignment and coherence within institutions - both public and private financing institutions.