2026 Foodthink Climate Grants: Publicly Announced List

Extreme weather has gone from ‘news’ to “everyday life”. Now more than ever, we need action that is rooted in the land and grounded in real needs.

In late April this year, Foodthink officially launched the sixth round of the Lianhe Programme Small (Action) Grants. We hope to find localised solutions that go beyond grand concepts to truly activate communities’ endogenous strength, helping front-line smallholder farmers and their communities respond to climate change.

During the open call, we received a total of 58 applications brimming with sincerity and a drive to act. These applications ranged from ecological restoration to community composting, from smallholder low-cost disaster risk reduction to women’s empowerment – each topic with its own breadth and depth. Whether front-line producers exploring local wisdom, or researchers and creators using data, art and drama to reshape urban–rural connections, every concrete idea is enriching our imagination of climate resilience.

Following initial screening by the project team, in-depth online interviews, and scoring and discussion by the expert review panel, 12 projects ultimately stood out, earning a place on this round’s Lianhe Programme grant list.

Publicly Announced List of Selected Projects

*Listed in no particular order

Expert Review Panel

Du Ling | Director, Chengdu Shuguang Community Development Capacity-Building Centre

Meng Fanqiao | Professor, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University; Director, Environmental Impact Assessment Centre, China Agricultural University

Liu Juan | Associate Professor, College of Humanities and Development Studies, China Agricultural University; Researcher, Beijing Innovation Centre for Rural Revitalisation and Urban–Rural Integrated Development

Li Dajun | Industry Development Programme Director, Beijing Heyi Green Public Welfare Foundation

Kong Lingyu | Programme Director, Foodthink

Grant places are limited, but the sparks of action are boundless. For the partners who did not make this round’s funding list but are already taking action, we hold no less admiration.

Going forward, Foodthink will continue to follow and support your projects through media resource matching, peer community networking and other means, so that more inspiring food and farming stories can be seen.

Amid the changes, let us “take a small step first, then talk about bigger things”.

Editing and Design: Z X

Layout: Xiao Shu

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