Uganda Secures $31 Million from Green Climate Fund for Africa’s First Results-Based Climate Project

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved a landmark $31 million grant for Uganda’s first results-based climate project, recognizing the country’s success in reducing deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. The project, led by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on behalf of the Ugandan government, targets sustainable forest management that cut net emissions by over 8 million tonnes of CO₂ between 2016 and 2017, equivalent to growing 133 million tree seedlings over 10 years.

This initiative is a milestone for Africa and Least Developed Countries, showcasing how results-based finance can drive effective climate action and benefit communities. Uganda’s forests, covering about 2.36 million hectares, play a critical role in ecosystem services and climate regulation but face pressures mainly from agricultural expansion.

The REDD+ framework helps reduce emissions from deforestation, and Uganda’s project aligns with its National REDD+ Strategy, Paris Agreement commitments, and aims to improve rural livelihoods, governance, and equitable resource access, especially for vulnerable groups. FAO will collaborate with Uganda to use GCF funds to further forest conservation, climate resilience, and food security.

The $31 million project joins a $1.8 billion FAO-GCF portfolio supporting global climate readiness and investment projects benefiting over 60 million people worldwide.