Global Environment Facility (GEF), yesterday, said it had approved 48 FAO-led projects, worth about $2.9 billion to $294 million in project financing and $2.6 billion in co-financing that would play a pivotal role in fostering sustainable agri-food systems transformation to end hunger and conserve the environment.
FAO will lead 48 projects and three programmes addressing challenges at the intersection of environment, agriculture, forestry, and marine/freshwater resources.
The initiatives, benefitting 4.2 million people in five different regions globally, will restore more than 474,000 hectares of land; improve practices on over 24 million hectares of land and marine habitats; create and improve the management of over 2 million hectares of protected areas on land and sea. It will also mitigate 133 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and remove 202 metric tons of hazardous agrochemicals.
FAO Deputy Director-General, Maria Helena Semedo, who welcomed the decision taken by 66th Council of GEF, said: “This is the largest work programme of FAO projects approved by GEF Council. Working closely on the ground with partners and countries, these projects have the potential to improve millions of lives through agri-food systems transformation while helping achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Together with the GEF, we strive towards ensuring global food security coupled with sustainable, inclusive and resilient agriculture, benefitting people and the planet.”
About 46 countries partnered with FAO to access finance from the GEF in the programme and they include Angola, Argentina, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, China, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Eswatini, Grenada, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Maldives, Mexico, Mongolia, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, and Nigeria.
The GEF Council also approved three FAO-led global and regional programs focused on food systems, oceans and ecosystem restoration.The Food System Integrated Programme (FSIP), co-led with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), will direct $252 million in project financing and $2.2 billion in co-financing to 32 countries.
