Latest news and updates from the partnership
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
4fe93c5c-e07b-4a73-a661-19b28f107c1f.tmb-th600x400.jpg?sfvrsn=6273ff04_1 "untitled-design-(2)4fe93c5c-e07b-4a73-a661-19b28f107c1f")
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.
.tmb-th600x400.png?sfvrsn=5fef853e_2 "Empowering Youth for Agroecological Transformation in Agrifood Systems Programme (1)"){kind=spacer}
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.
From prediction to protection: Strengthening climate risk management for farmers and investors
10/02/2026
Climate risk screening tools help pinpoint where risks and vulnerabilities exist from the start, who is most exposed, and what measures are most effective to address them. This approach has been key in future-proofing investments from the GEF and GCF, channeling investments in sustainable and climate-resilient agrifood systems in over 140 countries.
Research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen unveils the secrets of the Indian Ocean’s international waters
10/02/2026
The UN-flagged research vessel R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen has completed a landmark scientific mission to the high seas of the southwest Indian Ocean, shedding new light on mysterious deep-sea ecosystems and strengthening the science needed for sustainable ocean management. Organized by FAO’s Common Oceans Deep‑Sea Fisheries Project, the FAO EAF‑Nansen Programme and its partner the Institute of Marine Research (IMR), and Norway, the three-week expedition wrapped up just before the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement (BBNJ) entered into force, calling for robust data to guide conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in international waters.
Advancing global forest data transparency
06/02/2026
Over the past two years, under the project “Building global capacity to increase transparency in the forest sector (CBIT-Forest): accelerating capacity-building, knowledge-sharing and awareness raising”, countries around the world have been working to strengthen how forest data are collected, shared and used for climate reporting. A new publication takes stock of what that work has looked like in practice.
Smart Agriculture in Samoa
04/02/2026
‘Smart agriculture’ is hailed as a game-changing approach in boosting resilience and productivity in Samoa’s agriculture sector, amid climate challenges.
FAO to promote new fisheries management course in global webinar
30/01/2026
Rome and online - As adoption of management procedures (MPs) expands worldwide, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will host a global webinar to highlight its new e-learning course series: Management procedures for sustainable tuna fisheries, designed to help meet growing demand for technical training and capacity building.
Consensus builds for robust GEF-9 replenishment
22/01/2026
The third meeting on the Global Environment Facility’s ninth replenishment cycle (GEF-9), held in Bonn, Germany, moved donor governments closer to broad consensus on its size, scope and priorities for the period from July 2026 to June 2030, coinciding with a critical window for progress toward global environmental goals.
FAO welcomes new treaty on safeguarding marine biological diversity in international waters
19/01/2026
The BBNJ Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty, recently came into force to protect marine biodiversity in the Ocean Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. FAO stands ready to support Parties and relevant institutions in implementing the Agreement, drawing on its expertise in fisheries governance, marine genetic resources, and the data and systems that will be critical to achieving its objectives.