The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved a US$31 million results-based payment for Uganda in recognition of the country’s measurable success in reducing deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.
The approval is a historic milestone for Uganda and Africa, being the first GCF results-based payment project on the continent.
The funding follows the presentation of the project titled “Uganda REDD plus Resulys Based Payment for Emission Reduction 2016-2017” at the forty-third GCF Board meeting held from 27 to 30 October 2025 in Songdo, Republic of Korea. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), as the Accredited Entity acting on behalf of the Government of Uganda, facilitated the submission.
Mr. Alfred Okot Okidi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water and Environment, welcomed the approval, stating that “the revenue from the REDD+ results is part of Uganda’s ambitious climate finance mobilization efforts, and clearly demonstrates how persistence and long-term planning yield results.”
, Assistant Commissioner for Forestry in charge of Assessment and Monitoring and Uganda’s National REDD+ Focal Point, said that this remarkable payment reflects Uganda’s determined efforts in sustainable forest management, which reduced net emissions by the equivalent of more than 8 million tonnes of CO₂ between 2016 and 2017, comparable to growing 133 million tree seedlings for 10 years.
Speaking on the milestone, Mr. Yergalem Beraki, FAO Representative in Uganda, commended the collaboration that enabled the achievement.
“This recognition by the GCF underscores Uganda’s commitment to reducing deforestation and forest degradation as a cornerstone of sustainable development,” he said. “FAO is proud to have supported the Government of Uganda for many years throughout its REDD+ journey.”
FAO has worked closely with the Ministry of Water and Environment, development partners, and local institutions to design and implement the national REDD-plus framework, build technical capacity, and establish systems for monitoring land use and emission reductions. This sustained collaboration laid the groundwork for the country’s successful access to GCF results-based payments.
Catherine Koffman, Director of the Green Climate Fund’s Department of the Africa Region said that the REDD+ Results-Based Payments project in Uganda recognizes the country’s verified emission reductions and supports reinvestment in sustainable forest management and climate-smart livelihoods.
“This milestone highlights how GCF supports proven climate action while strengthening national systems that protect forests, empower communities, and drive long-term low-emission development.”
Forests cover approximately 2.36 million hectares of ugandas land area, providing vital ecosystem services, regulating water and climate systems, and sustaining millions of rural livelihoods. However, agricultural expansion for crops and livestock remains a key driver of deforestation, accounting for nearly 90 percent of forest loss.
The REDD-plus framework, short for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, and the conservation, sustainable management and enhancement of forest carbon stocks, is an international climate mechanism developed under the UNFCCC to incentivize developing countries to reduce emissions from the forest sector.
FAO and the Government of Uganda will channel the GCF funds into initiatives such as sustainable land management and agroforestry and fuelwood; restoration of degraded narural forests, commercial woodlots for small-holder and community; monitoring, reporting and verification of information related to climate change and emission reductions.
The Uganda REDd Project builds on over 16 years of national commitment, technical preparation, and partnership with FAO, the World Bank, the Austrian Development Agency, and the UN-REDD Programme. It aligns with Uganda’s National REDD+ Strategy and Action Plan and contributes to the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
Uganda now joins a growing list of countries accessing GCF results-based funding with FAO’s support, alongside Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Papua New Guinea
