Latest news and updates from the partnership
Food and agriculture: champions for the environment
01/06/2026
Four examples of solutions that rethink and rebuild our agrifood systems sustainably.
Regional leaders gather to protect primary forests in Southeast Asia and the Pacific
18/05/2026
Governments, civil society, Indigenous communities, and the private sector, unite to conserve forests for the first annual conference of the GEF-8 Southeast Asia and the Pacific Forests Integrated Program (SEAP Forests IP) to accelerate regional action to conserve primary forests. The program aims to protect and conserve the region's remaining primary forests through integrated and sustainable landscape approaches.
In Uzbekistan, helping the land yields wide benefit
01/05/2026
The FOLUR program takes a holistic approach to supporting sustainable food production practices and responsible commodity value chains, working to enable biodiverse and resilient food production through conservation agriculture practices such as no-till, crop diversification, and crop residue retention techniques. These activities are at the forefront of efforts to protect and renew Uzbekistan’s vast, arid farmland. With modernized seed selection combined with resilient crop production techniques, Uzbek farmers are showing the benefits of soil and water conservation practices that also lead to dramatic improvements in agricultural productivity.
The Common Oceans Program advances practical, science-based solutions in tuna fisheries
29/04/2026
Tuna is a vital source of food and nutrition for millions of people around the world and demand is on the rise. World Tuna Day recognizes the need to protect marine biodiversity and strengthen science-based conservation efforts to ensure a sustainable future for fisheries and the communities that depend on them. Skipper workshops bring together scientists, fishers, and crew to develop bycatch mitigation tools and techniques through a participatory approach.
FAO, and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation or ISSF, with funding from the Global Environment Facility, are working together to tap into the know-how of tuna fishers, while giving them a say in how to balance the demands of the sector with sustainable practices.
FAO, and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation or ISSF, with funding from the Global Environment Facility, are working together to tap into the know-how of tuna fishers, while giving them a say in how to balance the demands of the sector with sustainable practices.
Learning from one another is key to sustainable aquaculture
27/04/2026
Aquaculture is now larger than traditional “capture fisheries” in size, creating new opportunities to confront hunger and improve availability of food worldwide, while also raising important challenges for countries to grapple with regarding the environmental and societal impacts of this growi...
The heat is on
22/04/2026
A new analysis by the FAO and the WMO shows how extreme heat interacts with rain, humidity, wind and drought to produce compound effects that disrupt farms and ecosystems alike. FAO-GEF projects can help farmers adapt to a peaks in heat and extreme weather.
Uzbek farmers restoring rangelands
16/04/2026
More than 25 percent of Uzbekistan’s lands have been deemed degraded – the highest percentage in Central Asia – and 20 million hectares of the country are at risk of desertification. Livestock populations continue to grow, with significant demand on grasslands from cattle, sheep, and goats. A FAO-GEF project aims to help update regulations and introduce techniques that will help authorities spot and curtail degradation and show farmers how sustainable land management can improve pasture health.
More food, fewer emissions: Stopping food waste before it starts
08/04/2026
Reducing food loss and waste is one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to cut emissions, strengthen food security, and deliver on the ambition of the COP 31 Presidency.
In Central Asia, ancient watersheds get new restoration support
08/04/2026
Countries in Central Asia are bound together not just by their long and storied history but by the environmentally important landscapes they share. The Central Asia Water-Land Nexus Program takes an integrated approach to land and water management, recognizing that water, agriculture, and natural ecosystems are all interlinked and must be considered and managed together rather than in isolation.
A voyage to know the unknown in international waters
25/03/2026
The Nansen research vessel gathers data for sustainable use and conservation of marine biodiversity. This latest Nansen research voyage, supported by the GEF Common Oceans Deep-Sea Fisheries project, sought to investigate fisheries resources, map vulnerable ecosystems, identify little-known deep-sea shark species and more.
Addressing emerging threats to shared river basins in Lao PDR and Viet Nam
23/03/2026
A recent transboundary analysis from the Ma and Neun-Ca shared river basins in Viet Nam and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic highlights key threats to the shared region, including fish kills likely linked to agricultural pollution and flash flooding driven by more intense tropical storms. The Ma and Neun-Ca project addresses these threats by strengthening transboundary cooperation, enhancing water security, environmental sustainability and forecasting ability.
GEF Statement on International Day of Forests 2026
20/03/2026
Economies, communities, and the biodiversity of our planet depend on healthy forests. On this International Day of Forests, the Global Environment Facility reaffirms its commitment to protecting, valuing, and investing in forests and demonstrates how forest conservation and economic development are complementary.
Growing more than rice: Seang Ngoch’s journey
08/03/2026
When women farmers gain knowledge, recognition, and access to markets, they grow more than food. They grow confidence, resilience, and hope for their families and communities.
Aligning national drought plans with policy frameworks
06/03/2026
The new FAO report, “Aligning national drought plans with global and national policy frameworks – Methods, case studies and global lessons,” is now available online.
Download the report
Download the report
The woman who grows Tajikistan
04/03/2026
Rural women have always played a central role in agriculture, planting, weeding, tending livestock and managing household food productions. Long unrecognized and often unpaid, however, many women still lack access to the knowledge, finance, tools and resources they need to make agriculture a reliable source of income. A FAO-GEF project is helping women to revive local seeds, improving food security and nutrition and enhancing resilience.
From Regional Action to Global Frameworks for Livestock
26/02/2026
Livestock countries in the Food Systems Integrated Program align with the Global Plan of Action for Sustainable Livestock Transformation
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SCALE+ launches in Cambodia to boost climate resilience and biodiversity
25/02/2026
The initiative aims to strengthen the climate resilience of communities, ecosystems, and livelihoods across Cambodia’s protected landscapes while promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable natural resource management.
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GEF-8 Food Systems Integrated Program invites EOI for 'Youth and Agroecology learning Module'
20/02/2026
The Empowering Youth for Agroecological Transformation in Agrifood Systems Programme (EYAAS) is a 4-month training module implemented by Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD), under the Food Systems Integrated Program (FSIP), led by FAO and IFAD and financed by the Global Envir...
Silent lessons speak the loudest
19/02/2026
The “Sound of Silence” Farmer Field School in Egypt brought together 15 deaf and speech-impaired farmers in a learning environment shaped by their needs. They transformed what was once a barrier into a source of collective strength, becoming some of the most skilled date growers in Egypt’s New Valley Governorate.
Ice Stupas: An innovative approach to water scarcity in Uzbekistan
12/02/2026
Water scarcity is becoming an increasingly pressing issue in several regions of Uzbekistan. Climate change, declining precipitation and increasing pressure on surface and groundwater resources are complicating irrigation water supply, particularly in foothill and rural areas. Ice stupas are artificial glaciers and an innovative water harvesting technology that helps households and farms access water in spring and summer.