FAO has mobilized nearly USD 1.2 billion in climate and biodiversity conservation funds

Thanks to its work with the Global Environment Facility and the Green Climate Fund, FAO has implemented dozens of projects in Latin America and the Caribbean, benefiting thousands of farming families — a topic addressed during a technical workshop held in Panama.

- Since 2006, when the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) began its partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), it has mobilized more than USD 530 million in the region, supporting 33 countries. At the same time, joint work with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) has mobilized around USD 650 million across 24 regional projects focused on sustainable land use, restoration of productive landscapes, and resilience of rural livelihoods, integrating adaptation, mitigation, and sustainable development.

Concrete results

These resources have enabled achievements such as the reforestation of 1,559 hectares of degraded lands in the Imataca Forest Reserve (Venezuela), as well as the creation of the first Indigenous forestry enterprise, Tukupu, responsible for the sustainable management and use of this reserve.

In the Caribbean — through an initiative involving Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago — national legislative frameworks for pesticide management were updated in line with international standards, helping reduce environmental contamination.

In Mexico, Peru, and Chile, in the field of agrobiodiversity — particularly in crops from centers of origin such as maize and potato — conservation and sustainable use criteria have been incorporated into regulations and production promotion instruments. These have contributed to strengthening food security and preserving wild varieties that enhance the resilience of agricultural systems.

In Ecuador, 1,370 hectares obtained organic certification for cocoa production. This progress has expanded opportunities for accessing new markets and improved the socioeconomic conditions of the participating local producer associations.

Through these strategic alliances, efforts have been made to promote ecosystem restoration and conservation; prioritize policies affecting ecosystem services; encourage forest-based solutions to the climate emergency; strengthen sustainable forest management; and reinforce value chains to increase the resilience of Indigenous Peoples, women, and youth. All of this aims to make the agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and aquaculture sectors more efficient, inclusive, sustainable, and resilient.

Toward GEF-9 and opportunities with the GCF

 To continue exploring opportunities, nearly 100 representatives and experts from Latin America and the Caribbean met this week in Panama City at the Regional Technical Workshop: Challenges and Opportunities for Agriculture and the Environment in the GEF’s Ninth Replenishment Cycle, and Financing Possibilities with the GCF.

The meeting, supported by FAO, sought to strengthen partnerships that have boosted financing for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in Latin America and the Caribbean, one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet.

“Stopping and reversing biodiversity loss in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems — which support the livelihoods of millions of families in the region — is key to transforming agrifood systems,” said Rene Orellana, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean.

 “FAO offers tools, experience, methodologies, and knowledge, as well as platforms to facilitate inclusive and integrative spaces for intersectoral dialogue, promoting agrifood systems as part of the solution to major environmental and climate challenges,” he added.

The workshop is taking place at a crucial moment, paving the way for the Ninth Replenishment of GEF Funds (GEF-9), which will cover the 2026–2030 period under the vision of “a healthy planet, healthy people.” This new cycle will promote systemic change through integrated programs in areas such as food systems, forest biomes, and sustainable cities, complementing its five traditional focal areas.

Aligned with FAO’s Climate Change Strategy (2022–2031), which positions food systems transformation as essential for addressing climate change, the workshop also explores GCF financing opportunities. Through analysis of its investment windows, criteria, and readiness mechanisms, the aim is to support countries in identifying priority climate actions from a sectoral, inclusive, and transparent perspective.