Smart Net-Zero

December 17, 2025 | Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) |

FAO announced that the Global Environment Facility (GEF) approved a US$58.8 million package of 8 FAO-led projects spanning Bangladesh, DR Congo, India, Mexico, Senegal, Tanzania, and Ukraine. Designed to benefit over 1 million people, the projects will leverage about US$429 million in co-financing and target landscape-scale outcomes, including improved management of 305,000 hectare (ha) of protected areas, restoration of 314,000 ha of landscapes, and better management of 1.2 million ha of productive land. Key interventions include climate-smart crop and livestock systems, improved water management, and capacity building for smallholders and local institutions. The portfolio aims to bridge mitigation and adaptation by delivering productivity gains while reducing emissions intensity, and is expected to mitigate 84.5 million tonnes of GHG emissions, demonstrating how targeted finance and institutional support can translate global climate commitments into tangible agrifood outcomes, supported by strengthened monitoring frameworks for long-term resilience and impact.