As food insecurity continues to rise across the world’s most vulnerable regions, the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) has announced a major new funding initiative aimed at helping low-income countries strengthen agricultural systems, improve climate resilience, and support millions of smallholder farmers struggling against conflict, economic shocks, and rising global food prices.

The newly launched US$163 million Call for Proposals represents one of the largest recent multilateral agricultural funding initiatives focused specifically on the world’s poorest countries. Hosted by the World Bank, GAFSP is inviting eligible governments to submit proposals for transformative agricultural and food security projects that can create long-term impact for vulnerable farming communities.

The announcement comes at a critical time when global hunger levels are nearing historic highs and development aid budgets are declining sharply worldwide.

Why This Grant Matters More Than Ever

According to figures released alongside the announcement, approximately 266 million people across 47 countries experienced acute food insecurity in 2025. This marks the second-highest level ever recorded and nearly double the number affected a decade ago.

Several interconnected global crises are worsening the situation:

Rising Global Conflict

Conflict in the Middle East and other regions has disrupted transportation systems and energy supplies, causing major increases in production and food distribution costs worldwide. These disruptions continue to push global food prices upward, especially affecting low-income countries that rely heavily on food imports.

Climate Change Pressures

Extreme weather events, droughts, flooding, and changing agricultural conditions are placing enormous pressure on already fragile farming systems. Smallholder farmers are often the first and hardest hit by climate-related disasters.

Declining Development Assistance

One of the most alarming trends highlighted in the announcement is the steep decline in overseas development assistance. Global aid dropped by 23 percent in 2025, representing the largest single-year decrease on record. Bilateral aid to the world’s least developed countries is expected to decline by as much as 25 percent.

At the same time, many governments are facing:

Growing national debt
Limited fiscal space
Weak social protection systems
Reduced capacity to support vulnerable populations

In this environment, the GAFSP grant program is positioned as a critical funding mechanism for countries that urgently need long-term agricultural investment.

What Is GAFSP?

The Global Agriculture and Food Security Program is a multilateral financing platform hosted by the World Bank that focuses on improving food security and agricultural productivity in low-income countries.

Since its creation in 2010, GAFSP has:

Mobilized more than US$2.46 billion in donor contributions
Supported agricultural investments in 53 low-income countries
Reached more than 39 million people globally
Directed over US$1.12 billion toward fragile and conflict-affected states

Unlike many traditional aid mechanisms, GAFSP emphasizes:

Country-led solutions
Long-term sustainability
Flexible grant financing
Local ownership of agricultural development priorities

Its model combines public and private sector financing while connecting governments, agribusinesses, cooperatives, and local farming communities within one broader agricultural development framework.

Main Objectives of the 2026 GAFSP Grant Call

The newly announced ninth Call for Proposals aims to support innovative projects that can directly improve:

Food security
Agricultural productivity
Climate resilience
Rural livelihoods
Women’s empowerment
Nutrition outcomes

One of the key innovations in this funding cycle is the emphasis on integrated development solutions. Rather than funding isolated agricultural interventions, GAFSP is encouraging proposals that simultaneously address multiple interconnected challenges.

Projects that combine:

Climate adaptation
Nutritional improvements
Gender inclusion
Economic resilience
Sustainable agricultural transformation

will receive stronger consideration during the evaluation process.

Special Focus on Fragile and Conflict-Affected States

One of the most significant aspects of the program is its strong focus on fragile and conflict-affected countries.

Approximately 60 percent of GAFSP’s current grant funding already supports fragile contexts, reflecting the organization’s recognition that agricultural recovery is often essential for peacebuilding, economic stabilization, and social reintegration.

The organization specifically encourages applications from countries experiencing:

Political instability
Armed conflict
Post-conflict reconstruction
Displacement crises
Weak institutional systems

This approach recognizes agriculture not only as an economic sector but also as a foundation for long-term stability and resilience.

Example of Previous GAFSP Success: Liberia

The announcement highlighted a successful previous initiative in Liberia as an example of what GAFSP funding can achieve.

Through a US$46.5 million Smallholder Agricultural Productivity Enhancement and Commercialisation Project:

Approximately 155,000 people benefited
Farmers gained access to improved seeds and modern machinery
Agricultural yields increased significantly
Rural roads and infrastructure improved
Cooperatives expanded
Former combatants and displaced populations were reintegrated into productive economic activity

The Liberia project demonstrates how agricultural investment can simultaneously address food security, economic recovery, and social stabilization in fragile environments.

Connection to Digital Agriculture and AgriConnect

The grant program also complements AgriConnect, a World Bank initiative designed to connect smallholder farmers with:

Digital marketplaces
Agricultural inputs
Financial services
Technology-enabled farming solutions

By prioritizing fragile and underserved countries where digital infrastructure remains weak, GAFSP aims to ensure that marginalized farming communities are not excluded from emerging agricultural innovations.

Statements from Global Leaders

Dr. Shobha Shetty, Head of GAFSP, emphasized the urgency of investing in smallholder farmers:

“Smallholder farmers feed their families and their nations, yet they are among the last to receive investment.”

She highlighted how conflict, climate shocks, and economic instability continue to disproportionately affect vulnerable farming communities.

Dr. Agnes Kalibata, Co-Chair of the GAFSP Steering Committee and former Rwandan Minister of Agriculture, also stressed the importance of long-term, country-driven agricultural financing during a period of shrinking global development budgets.

Her statement underscored the idea that sustainable agricultural transformation requires funding mechanisms rooted in national priorities rather than short-term emergency responses.