By Atlantic Reports

Climate extremes could push more than 132 million people into poverty by 2030 without collective action, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has warned.

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu issued the warning on Monday at the opening of the 2026 World Food Forum in Rome, Italy, where he called for faster action to address threats to food production and rural livelihoods.

Speaking under the theme “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow”, Qu said increasingly frequent and severe climate extremes, biodiversity loss, water stress and declining agricultural productivity required urgent innovation.

The poverty figure is a projection of what could happen without action, rather than a count of people already affected. The supplied account did not detail the methodology or assumptions behind it.

Rural livelihoods under pressure

Qu said the challenges threatened rural economies and their ability to provide opportunities for young people. He urged countries and partners to expand solutions that strengthen agrifood systems, encompassing food production, processing, distribution and consumption.

He said the World Food Forum network had grown to more than 100 national youth chapters in 2026, alongside regional platforms connecting young people with science and innovation.

According to Qu, these networks would help young people contribute to agrifood development and progressively take on leadership roles.

His message placed rural employment and participation alongside food production, highlighting the need for young people to help shape the systems on which their communities depend.

Turning commitments into results

Qu said the forum would bring governments, investors and development partners together around investment opportunities in agrifood systems and rural development.

He argued that investment was essential to expand innovations, connect producers to markets and strengthen value chains.

“We already have 7.8 billion dollars committed and the impacts are starting to become a reality,” he said.

The US$7.8 billion figure refers to committed funding. The supplied account did not specify how much had been disbursed or spent, identify the projects covered, or provide measures of their impact.

Those distinctions matter for farmers, fishers and rural enterprises whose access to finance, infrastructure and markets will determine whether investment commitments produce practical benefits.

Science, technology and local participation

Qu highlighted artificial intelligence, digital tools and scientific research as potential means of addressing problems in food production and distribution.

He said the forum’s Science and Innovation Forum would showcase how emerging technologies and research could support solutions, while calling for stronger links between evidence, policy and investment.

“The scale of the challenges requires countries and partners to learn, work and contribute together,” he said.

The wider forum programme runs from October 8 to 16 and brings together governments, scientists, innovators, farmers, fishers, indigenous peoples and other partners.

Its events include the Rome Water Dialogue, the Science and Innovation Forum and the Hand-in-Hand Initiative Investment Forum.

FAO also plans to celebrate 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development on Thursday to mark the International Day of Rural Women.

The challenge set out in Rome is to translate innovation and financial commitments into stronger livelihoods, more reliable food production and measurable protection for communities exposed to climate extremes.

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