Africa Community

𝑨𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 19𝒕𝒉 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔: 𝑼𝑵𝑪𝑪𝑫 𝑪𝑳𝑷𝒔 𝑯𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚-𝑫𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝑰𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒐𝒊𝒍 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

I had the honour of representing the UNCCD Community of Learning and Practice (CLPs) at the 19th World Water Congress, organized by the International Water Resources Association (IWRA) and held in Morocco from 1–5 December 2025.

On December 2nd, I presented a scientific poster entitled “Employment Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) Strategy and Cooperatives for Water and Soil Conservation.” This innovative approach highlights how community-driven mechanisms, supported by adapted financial and cooperative models, can significantly strengthen water resource management and soil conservation efforts.
The presentation generated strong interest and sparked rich exchanges with international experts, practitioners, and development partners.

Beyond the poster session, I participated in several side events focused on:
🔹 Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)
🔹 Innovation in water policies
🔹 Smart and efficient irrigation
🔹 Nature-based solutions for water and land resilience

I also had the opportunity to visit the Moroccan Water Museum, an insightful experience that provided a deeper understanding of the country’s hydrological history, current challenges, and long-term strategies for sustainable water management.

This participation proved extremely enriching. It strengthened technical knowledge, facilitated new collaboration opportunities, and highlighted the importance of community-based innovation for protecting water and soil resources, promoting sustainable development, and advancing resilience in the context of climate change.

From last week to date, we have welcomed 11 new members into the Africa CLP, the highest intake we have recorded in recent months. This is a positive milestone and a sign of growing engagement across our community.
We warmly welcome all new members on board and encourage you to explore the various functions of the CLP portal, participate in discussions, and make full use of the resources available.
Let us keep the momentum going and continue strengthening our collective learning and collaboration.

Thank you!

Innovative Drought Resilience Efforts in Burkina Faso

The presentation highlights practical and adaptable approaches implemented in Burkina Faso to strengthen resilience to drought, improve water management, and support farming and pastoral communities. It showcases innovative techniques, community-led actions, and lessons learned that can inspire wider adoption in drought-prone regions.
This contribution, presented at CRIC23 as part of the side event " Farmer and pastoralist-centric solutions to managing droughts and safeguarding livelihoods" highlights collective efforts toward sustainable land management and drought management, as well as the innovations undertaken to address these challenges.
Please find below the PowerPoint document of the presentation.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1wObPP1cyUQj9ib5n-TLmB6HgZjoBYHo…

From Local Workforce to Resilient Landscapes: EIIP Strategy and Cooperatives against Desertification

This presentation explores how community-based approaches and labour-intensive methods contribute to building climate-resilient ecosystems. It highlights the role of the Employment-Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) and the strengthening of local cooperatives as essential pillars for combating land degradation and desertification with an innovation financial tool.

Through practical field experiences, the document showcases how mobilizing local workforce, restoring degraded lands, and enhancing community ownership can generate lasting environmental, social, and economic benefits. The presentation is shared as part of the Side Event: “Money Meets Resilience: Innovative Finance Pathways for Drought Action,” contributing insights on how locally driven solutions can be supported and scaled through innovative financing mechanisms.
Please find below the PowerPoint document of the presentation.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1j6L-X-ddKRP9T_4KQoF4niAnLseI1Id…

Glad to share this important intervention by our Daniel Tsegai, whose guidance and expertise continue to shape our shared efforts on drought resilience.

In this FRANCE 24 interview (in French), he highlights the rising drought risks and the need for strong early-warning systems, collaborative action, and long-term resilience pathways that protect vulnerable communities.
A valuable contribution to the broader conversation we will be having here on the CLP platform.

Pleased to share my Land Talks podcast episode with the UNCCD–G20 Global Land Initiative, where I discussed community-led restoration and practical solutions strengthening dryland resilience in Northern Nigeria.
Watch here on YouTube:

As the UN climate talks wrap up, one message stands out sharply for Africa: the continent cannot build real climate resilience without securing its drylands. These are the regions where climate change, land degradation, and biodiversity loss meet, where water is scarce, soils are fragile, and ecosystems are under pressure.

But these same drylands also hold Africa’s biggest opportunity. When we restore land, we also strengthen climate adaptation; when we protect biodiversity, we stabilize food and water systems; when we manage water wisely, we reduce drought risks and support livelihoods. This is the true convergence of land, climate, and nature.

Across the Sahel, the Horn, and Southern Africa, communities are already proving what works; water harvesting, drought-resistant crops, smarter grazing systems, and early warning tools that help farmers stay ahead of shocks.

The lesson from this COP is clear:
If Africa adapts its drylands, Africa adapts.
And that is where the continent’s climate future will be won.

As drought events become more frequent and severe, the importance of proactive drought risk reduction continues to grow. Effective solutions require collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the engagement of diverse professionals working across sectors and regions.

The UNCCD Community of Learning and Practice (CLP) on Drought Management is a dynamic platform designed to bring together experts, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to share insights, tools, and innovations that support resilient drought management.

By participating in the CLP, members gain access to:

- Practical guidance and technical resources

- Peer-to-peer learning and experience sharing

- Discussions on emerging approaches and best practices

- A global network committed to strengthening drought resilience

To broaden the impact of this important initiative,

We encourage all members to invite their networks to join the CLP.
A larger, more diverse community means stronger collaboration and deeper learning.

Let us continue working together to support drought-resilient communities and sustainable land management.

Thank you!

Exploring Challenges and Opportunities for Africa’s Landscapes – A Pathway to Mitigating Drought Impact
CLP Africa Webinar – November 12, 2025

We extend our sincere thanks to all those who participated in the CLP Africa webinar held on November 12, 2025, which focused on the challenges and opportunities for African landscapes in the face of increasing droughts.

This exchange provided an opportunity to share scientific analyses, field experiences, and innovative approaches to strengthening climate resilience across the continent.
Watch the webinar again
You can now watch the full recording of the session on our YouTube channel:

Download the presentations
All documents and presentation materials used during the webinar are available for download in the dedicated Drive folder:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1idsT0w8xR3-1oN3SA0i7WIrtE-IMksd…

Thank you again for your participation and commitment to a more resilient future for Africa. Let's remain mobilized for the protection and restoration of our landscapes.

Using systematic review and bibliography analysis to explore DLDD issues, as shown in this article, is interesting and can generate insights not easily available via other methods.

https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5617
Policy and Land Degradation Are Neglected in the Desertification, Land Degradation, and Drought Research Landscape in South Africa: Evidence From a Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis

authors: Bopaki Phogole, Mamadi Theresa Sethusa, Kowiyou Yessoufou

Abstract: Globally, issues related to desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD) are increasing, with a multitude of negative socioeconomic and ecological impacts reported. In particular, Africa is recognized as one of the regions that are most vulnerable to these negative impacts. In response, cross-country collaborations to mitigate and build resiliency to DLDD are promoted, with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification playing a central role. However, the scope of the current research landscape of scientific knowledge on DLDD in South Africa is unknown or not well documented, hampering well-informed policy development and actions. Through a thorough synthesis of over 970 research outputs on DLDD from 1928 to 2024, we found that the generation of existing knowledge is mostly led by two African universities with heavy collaborations with the northern hemisphere. We also revealed a recent but steadily increasing research interest in DLDD in South Africa, with relatively more interest in drought than land degradation and desertification, while policy and land restoration are glaringly neglected. These results have pertinent policy and programmatic relevance in South Africa, as they can be used to enhance the scope and relevance of DLDD research to adequately inform the design and implementation of interventions in the local and regional contexts. Thus, the mitigation and adaptation to the impacts of DLDD would be enhanced.