FAO Secures Kunming Fund Support for Global Biodiversity Projects

FAO has helped seven countries secure US$5.8 million in financing from the Kunming Biodiversity Fund to integrate biodiversity into agrifood systems and support actions aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The selected projects aim to advance several of the framework’s goals, including sustainable agriculture, ecosystem protection, knowledge management, the control of invasive species, and the participation of local and Indigenous communities in biodiversity management for food and agriculture.

Qu Dongyu, Director General, FAO, welcomed the announcement, noting that the Kunming Biodiversity Fund plays a decisive role in helping developing countries meet global biodiversity objectives through sustainable agriculture. He emphasized that agrifood systems have a central role in halting biodiversity loss, promoting food diversity, and contributing to solutions to the climate crisis.

The People’s Republic of China launched the Kunming Biodiversity Fund in 2021 during the first part of the United Nations Biodiversity Conference under its presidency. The fund supports developing countries in biodiversity protection and in achieving the goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework, focusing on regions rich in biodiversity but with limited institutional and financial capacity.

Part of the financing will support efforts in Madagascar, Mexico, and Uganda to integrate biodiversity into agrifood systems by creating favorable conditions for implementing their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans. These actions will improve policy alignment, strengthen institutional capacity, increase financial incentives for biodiversity-friendly practices, and promote knowledge exchange.

In the Cook Islands, funding will empower communities to manage ecosystems and species more effectively by improving knowledge systems, updating data, and promoting sustainable practices. The project will also create a national ecosystem classification and strengthen community-led conservation using traditional knowledge and agroecology, with particular attention to women and youth. Nepal will receive support to manage and control invasive alien species that threaten local biodiversity and livelihoods. The initiative will focus on community-based and participatory approaches and on strengthening national capacity to address the spread of these species.

In Sri Lanka, the project will reinforce national biosecurity by improving border controls, training frontline teams, engaging local communities, and conducting public awareness campaigns on the prevention and management of invasive species. Türkiye will receive funding to strengthen ecosystem resilience and promote sustainable management of Lake Eğirdir. The project will encourage biodiversity-friendly practices, promote water-efficient agriculture, and support sustainable livelihoods in the region.

FAO highlighted that agrifood systems are directly related to more than half of the targets set under the Global Biodiversity Framework. The organization plays a key role in supporting implementation by fostering policy coherence, promoting best practices, and scaling innovations that accelerate progress toward global biodiversity goals.