FAO boosts green recovery

The COVID-19 pandemic that gripped the world in 2020 was a watershed event; it changed people’s lives the world over. Countries grappling with the impacts of climate change coupled with the socio-economic fallout that resulted from the pandemic are seeking ways to rebuild their economies, promote green growth and increase resilience to climate shocks.

Through its partnership with Green Climate Fund (GCF) – the world’s largest dedicated fund for climate action – the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has secured USD 1.8 million in GCF grants for six countries to develop climate-resilient recovery measures from the COVID-19 pandemic.

FAO was quick to take action in 2020 when a limited time window was created for countries to access “rapid readiness grants” under the GCF Readiness Programme; the Organization worked closely with countries to ensure that their requests were submitted to the GCF Secretariat by the February 2021 deadline.

By July 2021, GCF had approved six rapid readiness grants – valued at USD 1.8 million in total – with FAO as the Delivery Partner for Afghanistan, Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, Lesotho, Niger, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Each country has been allocated USD 300 000 in readiness funding to craft climate-resilient recovery measures and to explore innovative approaches to financing new projects that accelerate both green recovery and climate ambitions.

Rapid readiness grants for a green recovery

Rapid readiness grants enable countries to design and adopt national climate-resilient recovery strategies and stimulus packages that address the twin challenges of the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. With access to climate funding, countries will have the means to analyse the pandemic’s impact on national climate change strategies and to plan for the road ahead by developing concept notes and conducting prefeasibility studies for high-impact projects with a focus on green recovery.

“Countries are facing unprecedented challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis converge,” says Eduardo Mansur, Director of FAO’s Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment. “FAO has been stepping up its efforts to mobilize the resources and expertise needed to promote a recovery with green and climate-resilient agriculture at its centre.”

Green and climate-resilient agriculture for sustainable growth in Africa

Agricultural development has the potential to drive economic growth, lift people out of poverty and increase food security, but Africa’s agriculture sector is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Increasing temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns threaten food security and the livelihoods of millions of rural smallholders, especially the rural poor, in a region where more than 90 percent of the agricultural crops are rainfed.

In Botswana, for example, agriculture accounts for about 50 percent of land use, yet the country is expected to be hard hit by climate change, with 2050 projections showing declines in available water resources, agricultural productivity, ecotourism activities, and public health. Rapid readiness grants contribute towards creating an enabling environment for climate-sensitive investments in agriculture and water harvesting to ensure food security and enhance resilience to future shocks.

In Equatorial Guinea, high poverty rates limit the country’s capacity to respond to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis. However, green and climate-resilient agriculture, including agroforestry practices, play a critical role in tackling the drivers of deforestation and increasing the rural poor’s ability to adapt to a changing climate. By accessing a GCF rapid readiness grant, Equatorial Guinea can engage more effectively with GCF to lay the foundations for high-impact adaptation and mitigation projects that create green jobs and improve livelihoods.

Supporting the most vulnerable countries

Rural communities in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) disproportionately suffer from the impacts of climate change and are highly vulnerable to shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

FAO worked swiftly and closely with the GCF National Designated Authorities (NDAs) in Afghanistan, Lesotho and Niger – all of which are LDCs – and the NDA in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (a Small Island Developing State) to secure rapid readiness grants.

Small Island Developing States are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change because of their restricted geographical area and limited natural resources. For example, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is exposed to multiple natural hazards, including floods, hurricanes, cyclones, droughts, landslides, and volcanic eruptions. In fact, the recent volcanic eruption in April 2021 devastated the island’s agricultural and tourism activities, adding to the heavy social and economic burden caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With a rapid readiness grant, the country will be better positioned to maximize the impact of its recovery efforts and to develop a strategic framework for engagement with GCF.

Fostering a green response and recovery

FAO leverages its expertise as a specialized agency of the United Nations to catalyse investments in recovery strategies that have a positive impact on people and nature.

“We are deeply committed to supporting countries along the path to a green and climate-resilient recovery,” says Nadine Valat, FAO’s GCF Coordinator. “Access to climate finance creates opportunities for countries with limited resources to develop green response and recovery measures that enhance climate action.”

FAO’s growing portfolio of GCF readiness projects – valued at USD 28.3 million – plays a crucial role in helping countries to build resilience to shocks and adapt to the impacts of climate change.