The Asian Development Bank has unveiled the FIELD Initiative, targeting $2 billion in investments by 2035 to combat land degradation and strengthen drought resilience across Asia and the Pacific.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched the Financing Investments and Eradicating Land Degradation and Desertification (FIELD) Initiative, aimed at mobilizing $2 billion in funding by 2035 for land restoration and drought resilience projects across Asia and the Pacific. The initiative addresses accelerating environmental challenges including soil erosion, worsening drought conditions, and unsustainable land use practices that threaten the region's agricultural production and food security.
According to ADB Vice-President Scott Morris, land degradation represents a critical threat requiring coordinated regional action. The initiative will support countries in designing and implementing restoration projects while providing grants and technical assistance for policy development. By 2035, FIELD aims to bring approximately 1 million hectares of land under sustainable management. The ADB noted that the region's drylands currently support over 40% of the population, while rangelands covering 54% of global land surface store up to 30% of global soil carbon.
FIELD employs innovative financing mechanisms including derisking structures, blended finance, and capital market instruments designed to attract private investment. The initiative operates as a dedicated window under the Nature Solutions Finance Hub, an ADB-led platform for scaling nature-positive investment. Initial collaborators include the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Qatar Fund for Development, and the Middle East Green Initiative, alongside existing partners such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the European Union, and Germany's development agencies.
The initiative aligns with the ADB's $40 billion commitment through 2030 to transform regional food systems and supports the Riyadh Action Agenda for land restoration. Its launch coincides with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, reflecting growing international focus on ecosystem restoration.
