FAO Launches New Action Plan for Mainstreaming Biodiversity Across Agricultural Sectors

On the occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched its updated action plan aimed at mainstreaming biodiversity throughout agricultural sectors and prepared to initiate several new biodiversity-related initiatives. Emphasizing this year's theme, “Be Part of the Plan,” FAO called on the global community to support the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, also known as The Biodiversity Plan, ratified in December 2022.

Soil is essential to the production of 95% of the world's food, yet more than one-third of soils are moderately to severely deteriorated. To address this, FAO advocates for sustainable agricultural practices that protect biodiversity and boost ecosystem resilience.

FAO aims to integrate biodiversity considerations into agricultural policies and programs worldwide by collaborating with governments, civil society, and the private sector. This approach involves diverse initiatives, from restoring coastal mangrove forests, which support numerous fish species, to promoting farming systems that preserve biodiversity, enhance nutrition, and benefit the environment.

This week, FAO introduced its 2024-2027 Action Plan for Implementing the FAO Strategy on Mainstreaming Biodiversity Across Agricultural Sectors. This plan replaces the previous 2021-2023 document and is designed to better achieve the strategy's goals: reducing the adverse impacts of agricultural practices on biodiversity, promoting sustainable methods, and conserving, enhancing, and restoring biodiversity. The action plan includes extensive support for countries in implementing and monitoring the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

A key feature of the new Action Plan is FAO’s Biodiversity Knowledge Hub, a comprehensive resource offering access to over 350 tools, guidelines, and resources related to biodiversity for food and agriculture. These resources can be searched and filtered according to specific targets of The Biodiversity Plan.

Earlier this month, three FAO-led projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Palau, and Samoa were approved under the Global Environment Facility’s Global Biodiversity Framework Fund. Launched in August 2023, this fund aims to mobilize investments for achieving the targets of The Biodiversity Plan, particularly benefiting Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries. These projects will channel over $7.8 million and leverage an additional $14.2 million in co-financing to support Indigenous Peoples in conserving and sustainably using biodiversity, strengthening their stewardship of natural resources.

The conservation, sustainable use, and restoration of biodiversity, coupled with efforts to mitigate climate change impacts, are crucial for enhancing food security and nutrition globally.