The Asian Development Bank has introduced the FIELD Initiative to mobilize $2 billion by 2035 for land restoration and drought resilience programs across Asia and the Pacific, addressing ecosystem degradation affecting millions of rural communities.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has unveiled a major financing initiative aimed at combating land degradation and desertification across Asia and the Pacific. The Financing Investments and Eradicating Land Degradation and Desertification (FIELD) Initiative seeks to attract $2 billion in investment by 2035 to support programs restoring degraded lands and building drought resilience in the region.
According to the ADB, the initiative will help developing member countries design and finance land restoration projects while introducing innovative financing approaches such as derisking structures, blended finance, and capital market instruments to engage private investment. The program aims to bring approximately 1 million hectares of land under sustainable management by 2035, with a focus on reducing degradation while securing food and water resources. Supporting activities will include grants and technical assistance to help countries develop sustainable land management policies and establish a knowledge-sharing platform.
The ADB emphasized that land degradation poses a critical threat to ecosystems supporting over 40% of the region's population, with worsening drought, soil erosion, and unsustainable practices degrading dryland ecosystems. The organization noted that financing gaps for ecosystem restoration are widening, particularly for rangelands which cover 54% of the world's land surface and store significant quantities of soil carbon. A preliminary project pipeline focusing on land and forest restoration, river-basin management, and water management has already been identified.
FIELD operates as a dedicated window under the ADB's Nature Solutions Finance Hub and aligns with the organization's $40 billion commitment through 2030 to transform regional food systems. The initiative has attracted interest from multiple international partners, including the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the Qatar Fund for Development, and the Middle East Green Initiative, alongside existing hub partners including the IUCN and the European Union.
