The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved funding worth $134 million for two groundbreaking projects aimed at enhancing climate resilience and adaptation in vulnerable agricultural communities across Somalia and Iraq.
Spearheaded by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), these initiatives will help millions of farmers and pastoralists in both countries cope with the escalating impacts of climate change, including droughts, floods, and water scarcity.
The announcement was made during the fortieth meeting of the GCF Board in Songdo, Incheon, South Korea, held from 21-24 October. This significant investment marks a crucial step in global efforts to address the climate crisis by supporting fragile agricultural systems.
Kaveh Zahedi, Director of the FAO Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Environment, expressed pride in the FAO's involvement in these projects, which represent the first single-country climate change investments for both Somalia and Iraq.
"FAO is very proud to have been selected by Somalia and Iraq to support them in their first single-country climate change investments. These two projects exemplify FAO's commitment to climate action through transforming their agriculture, especially by building resilient and sustainable agricultural systems in vulnerable and fragile contexts," said Zahedi. "By empowering vulnerable communities with the knowledge, tools, and technologies needed to adapt, we are investing in agrifood solutions that bring food security, support livelihoods, and help countries confront climate change."
In Somalia, where poverty, conflict, and climate change are exacerbating food insecurity, the $95 million "Ugbaad" project (meaning "hope" in Somali) is a seven-year initiative designed to build climate resilience in the country's agricultural sector. This is the largest GCF climate investment led by FAO and is expected to transform the livelihoods of millions of Somali farmers and pastoralists.
The project aims to restore over 50,000 hectares of degraded land, train 86,000 farmers and pastoralists in climate-smart agriculture, and rehabilitate critical infrastructure such as irrigation canals and rural roads. By strengthening value chains for key agricultural products and improving access to climate information services, the project will empower Somalia's rural communities to better adapt to climate shocks and improve their livelihoods.
Khadija Mohamed Al-Makhzoumi, Somalia's Minister of Environment and Climate Change, emphasized the existential threat climate change poses to the country: "Climate change is a matter of survival for Somalia.
The Climate Resilient Agriculture project, backed by the Green Climate Fund, will help over two million people restore our land, improve food security, and build resilience against the severe climate impacts we face today."
The Ugbaad project is expected to directly benefit 1.2 million people, with an additional 973,000 indirectly benefiting. With a strong focus on food security and sustainable farming practices, it will also reduce Somalia's reliance on food imports and humanitarian aid. Additionally, the project promotes gender equality, ensuring that women, who make up 50% of the beneficiaries, are empowered as key actors in climate adaptation and food production.
Beyond its immediate impact, Ugbaad will foster long-term sustainability by strengthening governance structures, enhancing climate information systems, and promoting peacebuilding. The lessons learned through the project will serve as a valuable model for other fragile countries facing similar climate challenges.
In Iraq, where rising temperatures and dwindling water resources pose serious threats to food security, the FAO-led "Strengthening Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Agriculture Livelihoods in Iraq's Rural Communities" (SRVALI) project will receive $29.25 million from the GCF, with a total project value of $38.95 million.
This six-year initiative will target three governorates--Karbala, Muthanna, and Najaf--where agriculture-dependent communities are particularly vulnerable to climate change.
SRVALI aims to improve water-use efficiency, promote climate-resilient agriculture, and empower women to become change agents in their communities. The project will introduce climate-adaptive infrastructure, upgrade irrigation canals, install solar panels on farmland, and train farmers in sustainable farming practices. Over 121,000 hectares of farmland will be brought under climate-resilient management, benefiting an estimated 2 million people, half of whom are women.
"We are very pleased to implement this project which will enhance the climate resilience of agriculture households in Iraq's rural communities, and support Iraq's climate change policy," said Jasim al Falahi, the Ministry of Environment's technical deputy minister. "The project will radically transform Iraq's agriculture sector, making it more climate resilient, equitable, and sustainable with more efficient and improved water distribution systems."
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The SRVALI project is also expected to create employment opportunities for internally displaced persons and contribute to long-term sustainable development. By collaborating with Iraqi ministries and universities, the project will integrate climate-resilient technologies into national agricultural programs and policies, scaling up adaptation efforts across the country and potentially replicating successful practices in other parts of the region.
Since partnering in 2016, FAO and GCF have been scaling up investments in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors to make them more efficient, sustainable, and resilient to climate change. This partnership aligns with the FAO Strategy on Climate Change 2022-2031 and supports the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The GCF, a critical component of the Paris Agreement, is the world's largest climate fund, dedicated to helping developing countries achieve their climate goals. With the newly approved grants for Somalia and Iraq, the GCF portfolio supported by FAO now exceeds $1.3 billion, driving high-impact projects that address climate adaptation and mitigation in some of the world's most vulnerable regions.
