A post shared on Facebook claims the World Bank has purportedly issued a notice to western nations that farming must be completely abolished by 2030 in order to achieve “net zero emissions.”

Verdict: False

The claim is false and originally stems from a May 21 article published by “The People’s Voice,” a website that is known for spreading “fake news.” A spokesperson for the World Bank denied the claim’s validity to Check Your Fact via email.

Fact Check:

World Bank President Ajay Banga said he is “absolutely open” to potentially managing a G7 loan fund for Ukraine for “non-military purposes,” according to Reuters. Banga also said the World Bank has “ample experience” in managing “similar non-military donor fund facilities,” the outlet reported.

“The World Bank has issued a notice to western nations that they must completely abolish farming in order to achieve ‘net zero emissions’ by the year 2030,” the Facebook post’s caption reads. “The plan involves closing down the world’s farms and placing them all under the control of a handful of [World Economic Forum or WEF] Young Global Leaders, such as Bill Gates, who will then ‘radically alter the way food is grown,'” it continues.

The claim is false and originally stems from a May 21 article published by “The People’s Voice,” a website that is known for spreading “fake news.” A “Liability Disclaimer” included on the site’s “Terms of Use” page indicates it “makes no representations about the suitability, reliability, availability, timeliness, and accuracy of the information, software, products, services and related graphics contained on the site for any purpose.”

The site, which has previously been known as “NewsPunch” and “YourNewsWire,” is described as “one of the most well-known purveyors of fake news online,” according to a 2019 article from Mashable. (RELATED: Did German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Admit There Was No Pandemic?)

The May 21 article cites a paper published by the World Bank focused on creating a “recipe for a livable planet.” While the paper mentions cutting greenhouse gas emissions from agrifood by 2050, it does not suggest that farming should be abolished completely.

Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to support the claim. In fact, the opposite is true. Reuters and Logically Facts both debunked the claim via respective articles. Additionally, the World Bank has neither referenced the claim via its website nor its verified social media accounts. The WEF also has not publicly commented on the claim.

A spokesperson for the World Bank denied the claim’s validity to Check Your Fact via email.

“The World Bank has never advocated or asked anyone to “abolish” farming. On the contrary, we are advocating for increased investments in farming – including in high-income countries – to help the sector become healthier, more productive and sustainable, and reflective of the needs of farmers,” the spokesperson said.