AfriOCAT

This is a temporary website until the official multilingual AfriOCAT website, hosted by AUDA-NEPAD, is launched. The new link will be shared through all channels as soon as it is ready.

Launched in November 2025, AfriOCAT is the African Regional Cluster of the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT), established in collaboration with AUDA-NEPAD. AfriOCAT strengthens sustainable land management (SLM) across the continent by connecting partners, sharing knowledge, and supporting action on the ground.

Open to organizations and individuals working on SLM and land degradation neutrality (LDN) across Africa, AfriOCAT serves as a collaborative hub where practitioners, institutions, and communities connect to turn knowledge into action for a more sustainable and land degradation neutral future.

To join AfriOCAT, you can apply to become a WOCAT organizational member. Further details, along with a template MoU in several languages, can be found here

Document & Build Capacity:
AfriOCAT identifies and shares Africa-specific SLM practices, while strengthening skills through peer learning, targeted training, study tours, and South–South exchanges.

Accelerate Uptake:
We promote the adoption of context-tailored SLM solutions that enhance climate resilience, improve biodiversity, and reduce land degradation.

Influence Policies:
AfriOCAT uses evidence from African SLM/LDN experiences to inform policy at local, national, regional, continental, and global levels - supporting the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and related initiatives.

The AfriOCAT Regional Coordination Team supports the coordination and implementation of WOCAT-related activities across Africa, strengthening regional collaboration, knowledge exchange, and capacity development on Sustainable Land Management (SLM) and Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).

Organizations meeting the eligibility criteria are invited to apply by submitting a complete AfriOCAT Coordination Team Candidacy File, including all required information, supporting documents, and a signed declaration.

--> Applications must be submitted by 31 January 2026 and will be reviewed for eligibility and alignment with AfriOCAT’s mandate.

All interested organisations that meet the eligibility criteria are welcome to complete the Candidacy File online.

Eligible applications will be presented for consideration, and the election of members to the AfriOCAT Regional Coordination Team will take place in early March 2026.

More information about the eligibility criteria and the application process:

October 19 - 23, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia

Day 1

The AfriOCAT workshop wrap-up in the morning was all about learning, sharing, and scaling up SLM! The afternoon was all about getting hands-on with the tools needed to track Land Degradation (LD), monitor SLM, and ultimately achieve LDN. A Key question was: "How can the WOCAT SLM Database best serve national SLM scaling efforts?" Main insights highlight that SLM success highly depends on inclusive processes, country ownership, data must speaking to people to enable use, partnerships. The workshop showed how digital tools can transform monitoring and land management in Africa.

Day 2

The morning was about building ownership! We explored how Africa’s land restoration journey connects to both global and continental frameworks; from the UNCCD’s LDN to Agenda 2063, AFR100, and the Kampala Declaration. What stood out is the importance of africanizing tools: Making global approaches work for African realities, languages, and communities; owning data & knowledge: The continent doesn’t lack expertise; it needs stronger coordination, data sharing, and trust; and from projects to systems: Integrating SLM into national policies, education, and community action. The highlight of the afternoon was our field trip! People were excited to witness SLM practices applied and linked to the unique culture and history of Addis Ababa. This local relevance is key!

Day 3

Participants came together in good energy for a series of focused strategy workshops. Representatives from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) & Private Sector, Government, Research & Science, and 16 Intergovernmental Organizations were working hard within their specialized fields to collectively shape AfriOCAT`s core strategy. The power of this diverse representation ensures a robust, equitable, and comprehensive strategy. The hard work paid off! We collectively defined AfriOCAT’s three main objectives: Document & build capacities, accelerate uptake, and influence policies.

𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟰
We were honored to host a high-level event on Day 4 of the Launching Workshop, marking the official start of AfriOCAT! We are grateful for this high-level support and look forward to scaling up sustainable land management across Africa.