New global fund ‘welcome boost’ to safeguarding biodiversity
A new global environmental fund marks a major step towards securing the wellbeing of biodiversity in developing countries and will help to ensure sustainable utilization of their natural resources, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Friday.
The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, launched at the Global Environmental Facility Assembly in Vancouver, Canada, will support the implementation of the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and guide nature towards recovery by 2050.
Maria Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director-General, emphasized the importance of the Kunming-Montreal Framework and the role of agriculture and food systems in addressing global challenges.
“The Framework places agrifood systems at the forefront of an enormous challenge that will require important financial resources, coordination, and commitment to implement win-win solutions for people and the planet.”
She added that the new Fund is a critical part of climate action, and a vital step in making these solutions a reality.
Biodiversity for agrifood systems
The significance of biodiversity in agrifood systems cannot be understated.
Biodiversity is the variety of life at genetic, species and ecosystem levels and it is an indispensable component of food security, sustainable development, and agricultural stability.
It encompasses domesticated plants and animals that are part of crop, livestock, forest or aquaculture systems, harvested forest and aquatic species, the wild relatives of domesticated species, and other wild species harvested for food and other products.
More than half of the targets in the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework directly pertain to agrifood sectors, and FAO is entrusted with overseeing four key indicators: ecosystem restoration, fish stocks, sustainable agriculture areas, and responsible forest management.
Multiple benefits from transformation
According to FAO, transforming agrifood systems to make them more sustainable can yield multiple benefits, including the preservation of biodiversity.
Such actions involve diversifying production by integrating multiple species, breeds, or varieties, and promoting habitat diversity within local landscapes and seascapes. These initiatives support climate action, enhance resilience, uplift livelihoods, and improve food security and nutrition.
IBNS
Senior Staff Reporter at Northeast Herald, covering news from Tripura and Northeast India.
Related Articles
Study shock: Ultra-processed foods may trigger anxiety and aggression in kids
A team led by researchers at the University of Toronto has found an association between ultra-processed foods in early childhood and behavioural and emotional development.
Dementia draws increased attention in Australia in early 2026
Dementia as a major public health issue appears to be receiving growing attention in Australia during the early months of 2026.
‘Toxic Rain’ alert after oil depot strikes as Middle East war intensifies
Toxic “black rain” linked to strikes on oil depots, mass displacement and continuing disruption to aid supply chains are upending lives across the Middle East and beyond after 10 days of war in the region, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
Yale study reveals hidden cause of childhood obesity—And it’s not just junk food
In recent years, rates of childhood obesity have been rising, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimating in 2024 that approximately one in five children and adolescents met the clinical definition of obese.
Latest News
Iran says it has ‘suicide drone boats’ to block Strait of Hormuz, shows underground ‘missile city’
‘Employers won’t hire women’: Supreme Court on mandatory menstrual leave plea
Custodial death allegation of a sexagenarian man sparks tension in Kailashahar
'Wounded and hiding': Pentagon says Iran's new leader Mojtaba Khamenei likely 'disfigured' in strikes
