WOCAT

Join us on May 22 in Budapest or online at the Regional Conference on Combating Desertification and Drought. In the workshop you learn about enhancing agricultural resilience to extreme weather events through natural/small water retention measures (NSWRMs).

The workshop brings together policy-makers, researchers, practitioners, and civil society. The aim is knowledge exchange on how to align national and EU policies, promote strategic implementation of NSWRMs, and build collaborative capacity for climate adaptation and sustainable agricultural development.

Read full invitation

As part of the FAO/NCVC Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Programme, and within the component of natural resources management, WOCAT supported the National Center for Vegetation Cover (NCVC) team in identifying and documenting good Sustainable Land Management (SLM) practices.

From 12–21 May, a field mission was conducted in Hafr Al Batin and Al-Ahsa and Al-Ghat, where the team visited several SLM initiatives, identified good practices and carried out hands-on documentation of key SLM technologies and approaches aimed at restoring vegetation cover and combating desertification.

As part of the GEF global coordination project for the Sustainable Forest Management Impact Program on Dryland Sustainable Landscapes (DSL-IP), WOCAT – together with FAO and IUCN – is organizing the DSL-IP e-Learning Series. This series covers a range of topics related to sustainable land management, good sustainable land management practices, and land degradation neutrality under the DSL-IP Communities of Practice 1 and 2.

The WOCAT Newsletter July - December 2024 is out! As we step into 2025 with renewed energy and purpose, we are excited to share highlights from our recent activities and achievements, including WOCAT’s impactful presence at UNCCD COP16. Together, let’s continue advancing sustainable land management and building a brighter future for our land and communities.

WOCAT has published an article in the latest issue of Rural 21 titled "Embracing Gender for Sustainable Land Management".

This article underscores the critical importance of integrating gender perspectives into SLM to achieve more inclusive and effective outcomes. It highlights innovative approaches, tools, and experiences developed by WOCAT to ensure gender-responsive SLM practices that empower both women and men. By addressing gender inequalities and promoting equal participation, WOCAT aims to enhance the sustainability of land management efforts while contributing to improved livelihoods and ecosystem resilience.

This year's World Soil Day theme, "Caring for Soils: Measure, Monitor, Manage", resonates with the mission of WOCAT's Consortium Partner ISRIC – World Soil Information. To mark the day and its alignment with UNCCD COP16, WOCAT and ISRIC hosted two key events at the WOCAT-UNCCD Pavilion: a morning session (WOCAT Morning Meetup) on ISRIC soil maps (i.e. SoilGrids) and an afternoon session: From SoilGrids to Soils4Africa.

These events underscored the vital role of soil data and collaboration in sustainable land management.

End November a workshop to instructors of “Trigger Change! Innovative Sustainable Agriculture Solutions for Land Restoration” (Training of Trainers) was held for Southeast Asia Educators. The objective was to equip educators with the knowledge and tools needed to integrate the “Trigger Change!” course into their curricula.

Save the date for the next Training of Trainers Workshops early 2025: Arab Region 3-6 February, Latin America 25-28 March, and Europe tbc.