Bangkok, 15 October 2026 – Global efforts to reduce harmful pesticides and agricultural plastics are expanding to 15 countries across Asia-Pacific, Africa and Latin America through the Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management (FARM) programme.

Launched in 2024, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) financed FARM programme is led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and works across Ecuador, India, Kenya, Lao PDR, the Philippines, Uruguay and Viet Nam.

At the midpoint of its implementation, FARM is convening the inaugural FARM the Transition Forum in Bangkok, Thailand, on 15-16 October 2026, bringing together more than 150 representatives from over 40 countries. Co-hosted with Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the ASEAN Bioinnovation and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Action Plan, the forum will build on FARM experience to strengthen partnerships, scale safer alternatives, expand investment and support farmers through the transition.

The Forum also celebrates the launch of the second phase of FARM, also known as FARM+. FARM+ is led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and expands the programme to eight more countries: Benin, Costa Rica, Egypt, the Gambia, Ghana, Mexico, Nepal and Nigeria. The FARM+ programme will support countries to reduce reliance on harmful agrochemicals, restore soil health and productive landscapes, and strengthen support for farmers and value chain partners to adopt safer and more resilient practices.

Together, FARM and FARM+ represent more than US$1 billion in combined GEF funding and co-financing to advance safer, more sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture.

"FARM is demonstrating how enabling policies, aligned finance, and strategic private sector partnership can lead to more environmentally sound and economically beneficial agricultural production. FARM has invested $37 million in GEF grants, which have mobilized more than $340 million in co-financing for efforts across seven countries to reduce the use of harmful pesticides and agricultural plastics, and accelerate the transition to safer agriculture. Additionally, FARM has engaged more than 150 financial institutions to provide lending to farmers that favor efforts to reduce chemicals use. FARM+ gives us an opportunity to take these lessons to more countries and value chains and bring successful approaches to scale," said Fred Boltz, Head of Programming, GEF Secretariat.

Delivering results on the ground

Seven first-phase FARM countries are already turning research, national assessments and on-the-ground experience into policy and practice. Lao PDR, Uruguay and Kenya have approved new policies that support safer practices and biocontrol alternatives to harmful pesticides, protecting crops, water and soils from agrochemical pollution.

In India, farmer training and peer-to-peer learning have engaged more than 2 million farmers – the programme's largest outreach effort to date. Across other FARM countries, thousands more producers are participating in training and awareness activities, while Ecuador’s AgroConCiencia competitive fund has provided more than $750,000 to support farmer-led innovation.

FARM is also one of the largest dedicated initiatives addressing agricultural plastics, alongside efforts to reduce highly hazardous pesticides and expand safer alternatives. Across its seven countries, FARM aims to prevent more than 51,000 tonnes of hazardous pesticides and 20,000 tonnes of plastic waste from entering the environment, protect more than 3 million hectares of land from degradation and improve the lives of 3.8 million people.

Scaling safer alternatives through partnerships

Together with the International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association (IBMA) and other biocontrol actors, FARM will consult partners to develop guidance for field trials of bio-inputs, drawing on country experience and IBMA’s global network. Focusing on crops with high pesticide use, the collaboration will address barriers to market and strengthen field testing and adoption of biocontrol solutions.

The forum also brings together retail and agricultural value chain partners to help take proven approaches to scale. Building on the Guidelines for Communication Agrochemical Use in Food Value Chains, launched in September 2026, it marks the start of co-designing a potential joint initiative among retailers, food service companies, suppliers and farmers to strengthen market access, supplier engagement and technical support, while increasing demand for lower-pollution production.

To unlock finance for safer farming, FARM works with more than 150 financial institutions and, with the UNEP Finance Initiative, has developed Guidance for Banks on Reduction and Management of Pollution in Agriculture. In Bangkok, finance-sector partners will launch a dedicated Community of Practice to mobilize capital for safer farming, with lessons that can support the expanded FARM+ programme.

“According to FAO, global pesticide use has roughly doubled since 1990. Asia accounts for over a quarter of today’s consumption, second only to the Americas, where use has roughly tripled. This trend underscores the urgency of regional and global collaboration to help countries move beyond a dependence on harmful pesticides and towards farming systems that are more resilient, productive and sustainable. Through FARM, UNEP is supporting this collaboration with countries to strengthen the policies, partnerships and financing needed to reduce pollution while safeguarding food security and farmer livelihoods,” said Dechen Tsering, Regional Director and Representative for Asia and the Pacific, UNEP

Expanding impact with FARM+

As its on-the-ground work starts in 2027, the UNDP-led FARM+ will build on these foundations, extending its reach to new countries. Through the promotion of biopesticides, integrated pest management, and sustainable agricultural practices, the program will help reduce reliance on hazardous pesticides while strengthening food security, protecting biodiversity, and improving the livelihoods of farmers and rural communities.

"Reducing dependence on harmful pesticides and agricultural plastics is a complex transition, particularly when farmers' livelihoods and food production are at stake. Through the FARM+ programme, we are exploring new tools such as insurance to reduce the potential financial risks to farmers in the event of yield losses during the transition, while enhancing technical support for best practices. If successfully implemented, this approach has the potential to strengthen the long-term sustainability and resilience of the organic food supply chain," said Xiaofang Zhou, Director, Cooling, Circularity and Pollution Prevention, UNDP.

The FARM Forum is the first in a series planned every two years in different regions. Its Asia-Pacific location connects country implementation with regional action. FARM and FARM+ will co-organize the next Forum in Latin America to share experience and scale successful approaches.

For more information, visit: https://www.geffarm.org/event/farm-transition