Validated Terminal Review of the UNEP-GEF project ''Mainstreaming agricultural biodiversity conservation and utilization in agricultural sector to ensure ecosystem services and reduce vulnerability'' (GEF ID 5137) 2017 - 2023

This report presents the management-led Terminal Review of the Full-Sized Project (FSP) under the UNEP/GEF ID: 5137, titled "Mainstreaming Agricultural Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization in the Agricultural Sector to Ensure Ecosystem Services and Reduce Vulnerability." The project was implemented between 30th November 2016 and 11th July 2023 across four distinct agro-ecological regions of India. The project's overall development objective was to mainstream agricultural biodiversity conservation and utilization into national and regional agricultural policies, practices, and frameworks to enhance ecosystem services, strengthen climate resilience, and reduce vulnerability among farming communities. By promoting the conservation and sustainable use of traditional crop diversity, the project aimed to support food security, improve rural livelihoods, and ensure ecosystem sustainability in the face of climate change and other environmental challenges. The Terminal Review assesses the project’s performance in terms of its relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact. It determines the project's outputs, outcomes, and both actual and potential long-term impacts, providing a critical review of the extent to which project interventions have contributed to the intended goals. The review serves two key purposes. First, it ensures accountability by providing evidence-based results to meet the reporting requirements of UNEP, the GEF, and key project stakeholders. Second, it promotes learning and knowledge sharing by identifying lessons learned, best practices, and challenges to inform future project design and implementation, particularly for scaling up biodiversity conservation initiatives at national and global levels. As a Full-Sized Project, this initiative involved multiple governmental agencies, research institutions, universities, NGOs, farmers’ organizations, and international partners, working collaboratively to enhance the policy and institutional frameworks supporting agrobiodiversity conservation and climate-resilient agricultural practices. The findings and recommendations from this review are intended to inform future programming under UNEP and GEF, including potential follow-up projects or policy enhancements in India and other regions facing similar challenges.