UN Food Systems Summit +4 Stocktake (UNFSS+4)…

Ministerial Roundtable: Public finance, Trade, and Responsible Investments to Accelerate the Transition

Session overview:

At UNFSS+4, financing returns to center stage in a strained food finance ecosystem. The picture is mixed: some low- and middle-income countries have made steps in mobilizing domestic resources, and development finance for food systems has increased, signaling donor commitment. Yet overall financing remains insufficient. The tension between short-term humanitarian needs and long-term structural investments persists. Blended finance continues to favor middle-income countries, while low-income countries struggle to attract private capital. Most agri-SMEs remain locked out of affordable finance. UNFSS+4 is a critical inflection point, but also a moment of opportunity. Promising and innovative country-led financing solutions are emerging, combining domestic, development, and private capital that empower small-scale entrepreneurs, women, and youth. This flagship session—featuring the UN Deputy Secretary-General, ministers, IFIs, private sector and small agri-entrepreneurs—will assess progress and risks, and engage the audience in bold, country-led financing solutions that inspire action. Let us rise to the moment—financing food systems transformation with urgency, ambition, and unity.

Day 1 of the Stocktake will offer space for the highest political leadership to reflect strategically on global developments and their relevance to realizing the right to food globally, unpacking the multifaceted relationships between various drivers and root causes, and reaffirming the necessity to pivot towards more sustainable food systems. Inspiring experiences of impactful policy convergence will be shared by decision makers, while practitioners will reflect in depth on the enablers and barriers of ongoing transitions. A crucial enabler of accelerated efforts at-scale, finance and investments will enjoy heightened focus, structured to operationalize the outcomes of the Financing for Development (FfD4) Conference.

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The 2nd UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4) will take place from July 27-29, 2025, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, co-hosted by Ethiopia and Italy. As we approach four years since the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), UNFSS+4 will provide a platform for reflecting on progress, strengthening collaboration, and unlocking finance and investments to accelerate food systems transformation.