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FAO and the GEF

Partnering for sustainable agri-food systems and the environment

Latest news and updates from the partnership

Technology to measure greenhouse gases in Cuba
22/07/2024
The CBIT AFOLU Cuba Project is leading advances to improve the accuracy of greenhouse gas measurements in the agricultural, forestry and other land use (AFOLU) sector. In collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and with the financial support of the Glo...
Capacity BuildingCapacity DevelopmentCBITClimate ChangeClimate Change MitigationLatin America and the CaribbeanSIDS
An environmental and culinary revival in Iran
22/07/2024

Amidst the picturesque desert landscapes of Rigan in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s southeastern Kerman province, one community is witnessing a remarkable revival of its culinary tradition while upholding environmental sustainability.

Such a transformation is the fruit of the Rehabilita...

Dryland ForestDrylandsEnergyLand DegradationLivelihoodsNear EastWomen
Reforestation and afforestation efforts in Lebanon: a restoration success story
01/07/2024

Starting in 2016, Lebanon's rugged mountain terrains witnessed a transformative initiative aimed at restoring ecological balance and uplifting rural communities. The "Smart Adaptation of Forest Landscapes in Mountain Areas" (SALMA) project, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization ...

Ecosystem ApproachEcosystem RestorationLivelihoodsNear EastParticipatory Forest ManagementReforestationSustainable Forest Management
Alternative heating sources help preserve Afghanistan's environment
24/06/2024
Nuristan, one of Afghanistan's most forested provinces, has an estimated population of 150 000, and an area, of 9 000 square kilometers. This remote province of eastern Afghanistan is known for its breathtaking mountain landscapes, rich natural and cultural heritage, and unique traditions. The province was historically isolated and remained relatively untouched due to its rocky topography, which contributed to the preservation of its unique culture. During the past 45 years, this remoteness made Nuristan an insecure place, used as a base by mujahideen and more recently Islamic State militants.
Asia PacificBiodiversityBiodiversity ConservationCommunity ForestryEcosystem RestorationEnergyLand DegradationLandscape RestorationRangelandSustainable Land Management
Global Environment Facility approves $70 million to support FAO projects in 28 countries
21/06/2024
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) this week helped 28 countries to unlock $70 million in financing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to address urban sustainability, groundwater management, biodiversity loss, climate change and land degradation.
CoastalCouncilLand DegradationLand Degradation NeutralityRidge to ReefSIDSSouce to SeaSustainable Water ManagementWatershedWork Program
Investing in our lands
14/06/2024

Land holds the past, present and future of humanity. Everything from nutritious food and thriving ecosystems to agricultural heritage and livelihoods rely on healthy and productive land. Yet every year, an average of 100 million hectares of land are degraded through unsustainable agriculture, ...

Dryland ForestDryland Sustainable LandscapesDrylandsLand DegradationLand Degradation NeutralityYouth
FARM Programme: Promoting safer alternatives to highly hazardous pesticides
30/05/2024
The Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management (FARM) programme was officially launched in Nairobi, Kenya, in March 2024. It consists of six projects in Ecuador, India, Kenya, Laos, the Philippines, Uruguay, and Vietnam. The five-year initiative aims to catalyze investments to minimize the u...
Chemicals and WastePesticidesPOPs
Soil remediation and green technologies offer solutions to pesticide pollution and soil sustainability in Central Asia
29/05/2024

As part of an 

Digital AgricultureDigitalizationEurope and Central AsiaInnovationPesticidesPOPsSoilSoil Management
#PartofthePlan for International Day for Biological Diversity
22/05/2024
From bees to earthworms, from coral reefs to rain forests - biodiversity helps to ensure our food diversity and must be key to transforming our food production systems. On International Day for Biological Diversity, FAO launched its updated action plan for Mainstreaming Biodiversity Across Agricultural Sectors and prepared to embark on several new biodiversity-related initiatives. 
BiodiversityGlobal Biodiversity FrameworkGlobal Biodiversity Framework FundSustainable Use of Biodiversity
Celebrating International Day for Biodiversity with funding for new FAO projects in the Pacific
22/05/2024

Two Pacific small island states are set to...

Asia PacificForest MonitoringGlobal Biodiversity FrameworkGlobal Biodiversity Framework FundSIDSSustainable AgricultureSustainable Use of Biodiversity
Traditional agrifood systems conserve biodiversity and support nutrition in Mexico
22/05/2024

Walk through farmlands in the rugged, hilly terrain of parts of Mexico and you’ll see maize plants grown widely spaced apart with pole beans climbing up them and the large leaves of squash covering the soil alongside edible herbs. These are all part of a farming system known as a milpa. It is ...

AgrobiodiversityFood SystemsGIAHSLatin America and the CaribbeanNutritionSeedsTraditional
CACILM partners with the Dryland Sustainable Landscapes Impact Program
15/05/2024
Since the beginning of the project, the DSL-IP and the REM country projects (Kazakhstan and Mongolia) have engaged with CACILM through events focusing on sustainable pasture management, including a webinar on sustainable management of pasture resources in Kazakhstan and a regional workshop on gender.
Dryland Sustainable LandscapesEurope and Central AsiaLand DegradationLand Degradation NeutralitySustainable Land Management
Launch of Deep-Sea Fisheries E-learning Course
08/05/2024
During an online event on 8 May 2024, the Common Oceans Deep-sea fisheries project of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) unveiled a
ABNJBBNJCommon OceansMarine BiodiversityMarine EcosystemsSustainable Fisheries
Enhancing global forest data transparency for climate action
05/05/2024

On 30 April 2024, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United N...

CBITEnhanced Transparency FrameworkForest MonitoringForestryParis Agreement
FPAT: a stakeholder-driven, science-based tool to manage fisheries for sustainable livelihoods
03/05/2024

23 April, Rome - The...

Coastal Fisheries InitiativeSustainable Fisheries
Common Oceans: Climate change-driven changes in tuna distribution likely to impact economies of Pacific Ocean states
02/05/2024

Some Pacific Island Countries and Territories run the risk of a significant dent to their revenues as climate change causes shifts in tuna abundance and distribution, research from the Common Oceans Program suggests.

Rising water temperatures, expanding low oxygen zones, ocean acidificat...

ABNJAsia PacificClimate ChangeCommon OceansFish StocksSIDS
Launching an Agro-Ecosystem Approach for Enhancing Livelihoods and Climate Resilience in Tuvalu
23/04/2024

The inception workshop was held in Funafut...

Climate ChangeClimate Change AdaptationEcosystem ServicesLand DegradationSIDS
Advancing Collaborative Solutions for Ocean Health: Insights from the GEF-8 Clean and Healthy Ocean Integrated Program (CHOIP) Workshop
15/04/2024
In February, the GEF-8 Clean and Healthy Ocean Integrated Program (CHO-IP) convened the “Project Preparation Grant Design Workshop” at FAO Headquarters in Rome, bringing together key stakeholders from FAO, the GEF, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Global Water Partnership (GWP) and UNESCO/IOC to agree on a unified approach to combating coastal pollution and hypoxia stemming from various sources, including agriculture, industry, and municipalities.
Knowledge ManagementLarge Marine EcosystemMarine HypoxiaSource to
Forests and Health in Lebanon
21/03/2024
FAO collaborated with 10 NGOs to undertake management and maintenance activities in 26 locations all over the Lebanon with a total surface of 665 hectares. FAO also developed sustainable forest management plans in several areas in Lebanon and established two mountain ponds in Keserwan as a water ...
ForestryNear EastSustainable Forest ManagementWater
Striding for a sustainable change in the lives of vulnerable communities in Eritrea
15/03/2024
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment (MoLWE) of the Government of the State of Eritrea and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) launched a new project, with an overall budget of USD 15.86 million, to pave the way for a mor...
AfricaClimate ChangeClimate Change AdaptationEast AfricaEcosystem-based ApproachFisheriesLDCFLeast Developed Countries FundSustainable Land Management