Delivering readiness support
FAO supports countries’ efforts to access the GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support programme, which is aimed at enhancing climate change adaptation and mitigation actions. The Readiness Programme fosters country ownership of projects by strengthening institutional capacities, governance mechanisms, and planning and programming frameworks in accordance with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and other national climate change strategies.
The Readiness Framework Agreement between FAO and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) was signed in November 2016 to help countries access GCF readiness grants, with FAO acting as the Delivery Partner of project activities. Readiness projects help countries to lay the foundations of transformative GCF projects and to develop climate-resilient recovery strategies based on their specific mitigation and adaptation needs.
Countries can access grants of up to USD 7 million (per country) over a four-year period (2024-2027), and GCF accredited Direct Access Entities (DAE) can access grants of up to USD 1 million (per entity) over the same four-year period. See the operational details here.
FAO’s readiness portfolio in numbers:
- USD 70.5 million – total value
- 94 projects approved
- USD 20.7 million – total value of 16 approved readiness projects for NAPs and/or adaptation planning processes
- USD 2.3 million in readiness grants approved for climate-resilient recovery strategies in Afghanistan, Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Niger, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Map of FAO-GCF readiness projects
FAO-GCF Readiness Programme projects
FAO supports countries’ efforts to access grants under the GCF Readiness Programme to lay the groundwork for and enhance climate change adaptation and mitigation action.
Readiness for a green recovery
In 2020, FAO moved quickly to help countries respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by facilitating access to rapid readiness grants, available for a limited period under the GCF Readiness Programme. Rapid readiness grants are instrumental in helping countries to develop climate-resilient recovery strategies and stimulus packages for a green recovery; these strategies will be incorporated into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and contribute towards the design of transformative GCF projects that raise countries’ climate ambitions.
By July 2021, the GCF had approved six climate-resilient recovery grants – valued at USD 1.8 million – with FAO as the Delivery Partner for Afghanistan, Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, Lesotho, Niger, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Access to Readiness funding enables countries to update their NDCs, develop stimulus packages that contribute to a green recovery and raise climate ambitions.
These rapid grants (up to USD 300 000) are helping countries to formulate strategies that are aligned with national climate change priorities – as outlined in NDCs, NAPs and other low-carbon, climate-resilient planning frameworks – and promote a climate-resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
