UN Environment – GEF Project on Mainstreaming agro biodiversity conservation and use in Sri Lankan agro-ecosystems for livelihoods and adaptation to climate change

With the support of UN Environment and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), in collaboration with Bioversity International, Sri Lanka is implementing BACC project to ensure that agro biodiversity is conserved and used to meet the challenges of climate change and improve rural livelihoods.The project explores the role of agro biodiversity in helping farmers and rural communities to adapt to climate change and to improve their livelihoods and includes a number of aspects that make it extremely innovative. Management objectives encompass multiple landscape benefits. The full set of needs from the rural land base—including sustainable, climate-resilient production of food and fibre (from agriculture, forestry, and fisheries), watershed management, biodiversity conservation, bio-energy, terrestrial climate mitigation, and rural livelihoods. The project is being implemented by the Sri Lanka Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment jointly with the Plant Genetic Resource Centre, Department of Agriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture