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Forestry

FAO's role in GEF-FOLUR implementation

The Global Environment Facility (GEF)  Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration Impact Program (FOLUR), a USD 345 million initiative funded by the GEF and led by the World Bank, aims to transform the global food system through deforestation-free value chains for cocoa, coffee, livestock, palm oil and soy as well as the sustainable production of staple food crops such as rice, corn and wheat.

As a GEF implementing and executing agency, FAO leads country-level implementation of 10 out of the 27 FOLUR projects. In addition, FAO spearheads innovative efforts at the global level on transformative integrated landscape planning and governance as well as cutting-edge analytical studies to foster evidence-based decision-making for agri-food system transformation.

FOLUR projects

FAO

FAO FOLUR global knowledge to action platform activities

Advancing knowledge for action at scale

FAO is leading ground-breaking analytical work to advance the knowledge base and evidence for a sustainable and resilient agri-food systems transformation at national, regional and global levels. Topics include:

  • Exploring the true cost of FOLUR-targeted commodities;
  • Sustainable finance standards for the private sector to achieve deforestation-free commodity value-chains;
  • Developing a framework to assess assurance systems for traceability and due diligence for deforestation-free commodity production, with consideration of smallholder producers.

Studies and reports will be posted here.

Participatory, Informed Landscapes Approach (PILA)
banner folur

Integrated landscape management is a core component within each FOLUR country project. With support from countries, FAO has developed the Participatory, Informed Landscapes Approach (PILA) to facilitate more holistic-systemic integrated landscape planning, management and governance for transformative agri-food systems. 

 

PILA comprises complementary tools and methods related to integrated land use planning, agroecology, responsible code of conduct on fertilizers and pesticides, tenure rights, transformative governance and forest farm producer organizations. The inclusive, participatory approach empowers stakeholders to make evidence-based decisions about the future of their landscapes to achieve global environmental benefits in harmony with ensuring sustainable livelihoods and food security. 

How can PILA be applied?

The main stages in the PILA process are:

Arriving at an informed, mutual, comprehensive understanding, among all landscape stakeholders of the current conditions, dynamics, problems and needs in the landscape, and the respective ambitions and views of different stakeholder groups.​

Building a collective multistakeholder vision of the desired future landscape and developing pathways to collectively decide how to get there.​

Implementing the provisions of the integrated landscape management plan by institutions, communities, farmers and/or their organizations, and other landscape-level stakeholders.​

Looking at the results and impact of the implementation of the integrated landscape management plan and considering adaptive management or adjustment as required due to new information or changing circumstances through newly reached consensus.​
PILA timeline

Where is PILA applied?

PILA is being applied in Brazil, India, Kenya, Nigeria and Viet Nam across different production landscapes.

Experiences and lessons learned are systematically documented and shared to enable scaling up while also being integrated into additional country initiatives including the emerging Food Systems Impact Program within the next GEF funding cycle (GEF-8). 

Deforestation-free value chains