Since 2006, FAO’s partnerships with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) have mobilized more than USD 1.18 billion across Latin America and the Caribbean to support environmental protection, sustainable land use, and climate resilience. Through the GEF, FAO has secured over USD 530 million benefiting 33 countries, while collaboration with the GCF has brought in around USD 650 million through 24 regional projects focused on restoring productive landscapes, promoting sustainable land management, and strengthening rural livelihoods through climate adaptation and mitigation measures.
This financing has delivered significant on-the-ground results across the region. In Venezuela, 1,559 hectares of degraded land in the Imataca Forest Reserve have been reforested, alongside the establishment of Tukupu, the first Indigenous forestry enterprise dedicated to the sustainable management of the reserve. In Mexico, Peru, and Chile, agrobiodiversity policies related to crops such as maize and potato have been strengthened, helping conserve native and wild crop varieties while supporting food security and more resilient agricultural systems.
In Ecuador, 1,370 hectares of cocoa farmland received organic certification, creating new market opportunities and improving the livelihoods of local producer associations. In the Caribbean, a regional initiative involving multiple countries helped update national pesticide management laws to align with international standards, reducing environmental risks and contamination. More broadly, these partnerships have supported ecosystem restoration, sustainable forest management, stronger value chains, and policies that improve resilience among Indigenous Peoples, women, and youth, while making agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and aquaculture more inclusive and sustainable.
To build on this progress, nearly 100 representatives and experts from across Latin America and the Caribbean gathered in Panama City for a regional technical workshop focused on opportunities under the GEF’s Ninth Replenishment Cycle (GEF-9) and financing possibilities with the GCF. Supported by FAO, the meeting aims to strengthen regional partnerships and expand investment in biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource use in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.
FAO highlighted that halting and reversing biodiversity loss in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is essential for transforming agrifood systems and protecting the livelihoods of millions of families. The organization also emphasized its role in providing technical tools, methodologies, and platforms for inclusive intersectoral dialogue that position agrifood systems as part of the solution to climate and environmental challenges.
The workshop comes at a critical time as preparations begin for GEF-9, which will run from 2026 to 2030 under the theme “a healthy planet, healthy people.” This upcoming cycle will promote broader systemic change through integrated programs focused on food systems, forest biomes, and sustainable cities, while also complementing the GEF’s traditional focal areas. In line with FAO’s Climate Change Strategy 2022–2031, the event is also exploring GCF financing windows and readiness mechanisms to help countries identify priority climate actions through inclusive, transparent, and sector-based planning.
