Hivos website

Climate justice and urban food systems

Urban Futures
Photo: KB Mpofu

Voices for Climate Action is our flagship climate justice program. Working with traditional leaders, youth, and media among others, it aims to build public support and local accountability for climate action that supports local solutions.

Urban Futures is our newest program, working at the intersection of urban food systems, youth wellbeing, and climate action in 10 cities around the world. Urban Futures builds on the work of the recently ended Youth Food Action pilot project, which laid the foundation for systemic food system transformation by creating multi-actor platforms, engaging youth in research, supporting their small projects, and co-creating food policy recommendations for two towns in Zimbabwe.

HealthyFoodAfrica is a research and innovation project aiming at more sustainable, equitable, and resilient food systems in 10 African cities with a focus on inclusive multi-stakeholder platforms and Food System Labs to drive change. AfriFOODLinks continues the work of HealthyFoodAfrica and SD4All, and aims to address the systemic underpinnings of food insecurity and environmental impact to lead to real transformation. The project is a collaboration of 65 cities and 30 partners.

Hivos ran the Sustainable Diets for All (SD4All) program in five low and middle-income countries, building multi-stakeholder coalitions and enhancing the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) to advocate for more inclusive, sustainable food system policies that integrate climate resilience. We piloted change labs as a way to engage citizens in research and lobbying

Hivos and Climate Justice

Increasingly, climate-related disasters – floods, droughts, heatwaves and wildfires – are devastating vast areas and killing or displacing hundreds of millions of people. The worst impacts are felt in the Global South, which has done the least to cause climate change.

So Hivos is focusing on shifting funds, knowledge, and decision-making power to communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis. We believe that locally-designed climate solutions can bring about the urgent changes needed to turn the tide.

We support these groups in building resilient movements, and together we advocate for policies, laws and public services that advance equality for all. Find out more about our Climate Justice portfolio.