Farmer Nutrition and Health at the Center of Climate Resilience

Date:11th/Nov/2025

Smallholder farmers are the backbone of our food systems. Through small-scale agriculture, they contribute to economic development, provide jobs and livelihoods, and ensure food security for millions. Yet, despite producing 70–80% of the world’s food, many smallholder farmers remain impoverished and food insecure.

Each year, agricultural productivity declines as climate change intensifies. Smallholder farmers are among the most vulnerable groups to climate change because they rely heavily on rain-fed agriculture, cultivate marginal lands, and often lack access to the technical and financial support that could help them invest in better agricultural practices.

Many governments and organisations are addressing this crisis through climate-smart agriculture training, funding drought-resistant crops, early warning systems, resilient technologies and financial services. However, one crucial aspect remains overlooked: the nutrition and well-being of the farmers themselves.

Organisations working closely with smallholder farmers, whether through direct employment or value-chain partnerships, often focus on productivity interventions such as inputs, finance, and market access. However, the nutrition and well-being of the farmers who make these systems thrive are mostly neglected.

That is why the Workforce Nutrition Alliance (WNA) is advocating for a more holistic approach, one that goes hand in hand with productivity and places farmer nutrition and health at the center of climate resilience. A nourished farmer is a climate-resilient farmer. WNA supports organisations to integrate nutrition programmes anchored around the four pillars:

Access to healthy food
Nutrition education
Nutrition-focused health checks, and
Support for breastfeeding mothers

To guide this process, WNA has developed a set of four Farmers’ Workforce Nutrition Guidebooks, designed to help organisations implement practical, impactful, and sustainable nutrition programmes for smallholder farmers.

Why Organisations Should Invest in Workforce Nutrition

Implementing workforce nutrition benefits both farmers and the organisations that rely on them through:

Improved productivity and work performance

More reliable and sustainable supply chains

Lower malnutrition rates

Securing the future of farming through healthier, more resilient farmers

At COP30, as global leaders discuss pathways to resilient climate and health systems, we must emphasise that a nourished farmer is a climate-resilient farmer. Prioritising farmers’ nutrition and wellbeing should be one of the climate adaptation strategies. By investing in the health and nutrition of those who feed the world, we safeguard livelihoods, strengthen food security, and build a healthier, more resilient planet.

Resources and Assets

WorkForce Nutrition Alliance Guide Books

These free guidebooks provide simple steps for organisations to implement effective workforce nutrition programmes. They cover four themes: Healthy food at work, Nutrition education, Breastfeeding support, and Nutrition health checks, and are ideal for organisations with limited resources. The guides cater to both formal worksites and non-traditional settings like smallholder farms. Additionally, our latest guidebook highlights the link between mental health and nutrition, offering practical ways to integrate nutrition into workplace mental health programmes.

Learn More

GUIDEBOOKS FOR THE FORMAL SECTORS

How to make healthy meals and snacks available to your employees.