WOCAT
Welcome to WOCAT – the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies
WOCAT is a global network on Sustainable Land Management (SLM) that promotes the documentation, sharing and use of knowledge to support adaptation, innovation and decision-making in SLM.
Events
Join us for a deep dive into this practical tool developed to assess and strengthen the gender-responsiveness of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) technologies. In this interactive webinar, we’ll introduce the tool and hear directly from partner organizations from four countries about their hands-on experiences applying the tool in the field.
Traducción disponible en español / Traduction en français disponible
Register: http://bit.ly/4kKfbKM
This webinar is primarily for UNCCD national focal points or their representatives, offering insights into project applications, country selection, and the roles and benefits of participation. We look forward to your participation!
11:00 CEST: https://shorturl.at/QL3z3 (English, Français)
16:00 CEST: https://shorturl.at/Ah6nf (Español, Français, English)
This year’s Desertification and Drought Day focuses on one of the most urgent global challenges: restoring 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land and jumpstarting a trillion-dollar land restoration economy by 2030.
Under the theme "Restore the land. Unlock the оpportunities," the 2025 observance shines a light on how restoring nature’s foundation—land—can create jobs, boost food and water security, support climate action and build economic resilience.
On this day, WOCAT is unlocking two opportunities to support capacity development to restore the land:
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.
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.
News
Engaged in SLM and eager to join AfrioCAT's foundation?
On Desertification and Drought Day, WOCAT, AUDA-NEPAD, and WLRC invite African institutions to a key event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Week of Oct 20, 2025). This event marks the official launch of AfrioCAT, the WOCAT Regional Cluster for Africa, set to enhance regional impact and foster South-South knowledge sharing in Sustainable Land Management (SLM). Accompanying this is a Regional SLM Training Workshop to build capacity, train on WOCAT tools, and strategically plan for AfrioCAT.
We are pleased to announce a global Call for Expressions of Interest from UNCCD Country Parties interested in becoming participating countries under the GEF-funded project: "Scaling the Capacity of UNCCD Parties for Inclusive Decision Support in Land Degradation Neutrality."
More Information Plus d'informations Más información
Scaling the Capacity of UNCCD Parties for Inclusive Decision Support in Land Degradation Neutrality
To support inclusive, evidence-based, and scalable solutions in SLM, WOCAT showcased its Global SLM Database at the Status Seminar 2025 in Accra.
This high-level event – co-hosted by the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa - FARA, and the Center for Development Research (ZEF) at the The University of Bonn – brought together over 120 researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from across Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. The seminar highlighted four major regional research projects – COINS, DecLaRe, Minodu, and InfoRange – as well as INTERFACES, a cross-cutting initiative that connects institutions in Germany and several African countries.
Picture: Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), 2025
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.
The MDBF, hosted by the UNCCD Secretariat, is a collaborative financial mechanism that pools donor resources to accelerate the global implementation of innovative SLM solutions, addressing critical gaps in knowledge and capacity.
This new course, developed by a team of university professors and sustainable agriculture experts from around the world, serves as a comprehensive resource for educators. It targets university students and training institution participants worldwide enrolled in agriculture and related programs.
The Global Database on SLM contains a vast range of good practices from all over the world and is the primary recommended database by UNCCD.
Are you looking for global or national good SLM practices compilations, guidelines, videos, factsheets, papers or other media?
Funding Partners
