FAO Welcomes $3.9 Billion GEF-9 Replenishment to Enhance Sustainable Agrifood Systems
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has announced its support for the Ninth Replenishment of the Global Environment Facility (GEF-9), which has secured $3.9 billion in pledges for the 2026-2030 funding cycle. This funding aims to bolster sustainable agrifood systems worldwide, addressing critical environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation. The approval was formalized during the Eighth GEF Assembly in Samarkand, attended by representatives from 140 governments. The assembly served as a platform for advancing international cooperation on environmental issues, focusing on climate change, ecosystem degradation, and water insecurity. FAO highlighted the role of agrifood systems in delivering environmental benefits, citing successful projects in soil management, sustainable grazing, and agroforestry that have improved ecosystem health and rural livelihoods.