During the Fifth Replenishment Phase ofthe Global Environment Facility (GEF-5), portfoliomonitoring and learning review were introduced as keycomponents of knowledge management in the GEF Secretariat.These strategies were intended to address the need togenerate knowledge on innovative practices, experiences, andlessons from projects financed by the GEF. In that regard,the Land Degradation focal area strategy for GEF-5specifically included a learning objective on the catalyticeffect of the GEF integrated Approaches, practices focusedon integrating the management of land, soil, water,biodiversity, and biomass, in production systems(agriculture, rangelands, and forest landscapes). The focalarea strategy embodies the landscape approach and integratedecosystem management principles to maximize the globalenvironmental benefits of combating land degradation. As aresult of that focus, the strategy also addresses the needto harness and safeguard ecosystem services (carbon cycling,biodiversity, hydrological flows, and healthy soils). Thisreport synthesizes the review of the catalytic role of theGEF in promoting integrated approaches in productionsystems, which are the primary focus of the Land Degradationfocal area. The report highlights the context and rationalefor GEF financing under OP 12 and OP 15, the catalytic roleof GEF financing in promoting integrated approaches, andlessons from the application of integrated approaches tocombat land degradation. Because the focus was entirely onlearning, this report offers no specific judgments orinterpretations about environmental or development impactsof GEF investments. Rather, it highlights the processes,practices, tools, and knowledge innovations embodied inprojects that apply integrated approaches.
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