FAO-GEF Partnership for Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the foundation of sustainable agrifood systems, food security. Agrifood systems manage significant portions of the world’s natural resources and have a vital role to play in the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of biodiversity. But global biodiversity is in decline, largely due to land and sea use changes, over exploitation of species, climate change, pollution. Transforming our agrifood systems to be more sustainable is critical for halting and reversing biodiversity loss across global land and marine ecosystems that nourish the world, while also supporting livelihoods of millions. 

FAO helps countries to make their agrifood systems more sustainable. Guided by its Strategy on Mainstreaming Biodiversity across Agricultural Sectors, FAO works to reduce the agriculture's contribution to biodiversity loss, promote sustainable agricultural practices for conservation, restoration and sustainable use of biodiversity. 

Through GEF financing, FAO project and programmes address priority areas of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including:

1. Mainstreaming biodiversity across agricultural sectors
2. Promoting the sustainable use, restoration and conservation of biodiversity, including plant and animal genetic resources for food and agriculture
3. Supporting countries in meeting their biodiversity goals and targets related to agricultural sectors
4. Prioritizing policy actions that have a positive impact on biodiversity and ecosystem services

Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF)

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) sets the course for biodiversity, with over half of its 23 global targets directly linked to agrifood systems. As the custodian agency for more than 20 KMGBF indicators and a trusted GEF partner, FAO supports countries in achieving KMGBF targets through knowledge sharing, policy guidance, and capacity development - delivered via GEF-funded projects under the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund.

Over 60% of the current FAO-GEF portfolio is funded through the GEF’s Biodiversity Focal Area, reflecting the strong and continued trust of member countries and the GEF in FAO’s role in delivering impactful biodiversity projects. By integrating biodiversity into agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, FAO helps bridge the gap between global goals and local action.