Keeping Water in the Land: Central and Eastern Europe and Northern Mediterranean Communities Highlight Priorities for Drought Resilience
A regional webinar on “Keeping Water in the Land: Soil, Carbon Farming and Sustainable Water Management for Drought Resilience” brought together stakeholders from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Northern Mediterranean to exchange knowledge, experiences and practical approaches for strengthening drought resilience through sustainable land, soil and water management.
The webinar was organized within the UNCCD Community of Learning and Practice on Drought Management for Central and Eastern Europe and the Northern Mediterranean, with the support of the UNCCD Secretariat and the Global Water Partnership (GWP). Held on 21 September 2026, the event was proposed and led by Sabrija Čadro, UNCCD Science and Technology Correspondent for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Biljana Kilibarda, UNCCD National Focal Point for Montenegro, both serving as co-chairs of the UNCCD CLP for CEE, with the support of Pınar Canli, co-chair of the UNCCD CLP for the Northern Mediterranean.
With 199 registrations and 99 unique participants, the webinar demonstrated strong interest in practical approaches to drought resilience and continued regional learning and cooperation.
Drought resilience begins before drought occurs
A key message of the webinar was that drought resilience is not only about drought monitoring, emergency response or water availability. It also depends on how soils, agricultural land and wider landscapes are managed before drought occurs.
The discussions connected sustainable land management, soil health, carbon farming and sustainable water management with practical measures that can strengthen the resilience of agricultural landscapes.
Drought and agriculture remain key concerns
The opening Mentimeter poll showed that 70% of respondents rated drought risk at level 4 or 5 on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 representing the highest level of risk.
Agriculture was identified by 71% of respondents as the sector most affected by drought, highlighting the close links between drought resilience, food production, soil health and sustainable land management.
From knowledge to practical action
The webinar brought together three complementary expert perspectives.
Laurent-Charles Tremblay-Lévesque, Knowledge Management and Learning Specialist at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), highlighted the role of learning, knowledge exchange and communities of practice in strengthening drought resilience and presented the potential of the UNCCD CLP approach to support peer learning and capacity building.
Dr. Hanspeter Liniger, founding member and former Director of WOCAT, explored the relationship between soils, land cover and the local water cycle, highlighting how healthy soils and well-managed landscapes can improve water retention and contribute to resilience against both droughts and floods.
Prof. Dr. Erhan Akça of Adıyaman University, Türkiye, presented practical land, water and carbon farming measures, including conservation and reduced tillage, organic amendments, soil moisture management, agroforestry, water harvesting and other approaches that can improve soil function and water retention.
Practical measures are already being applied
Participants identified several drought-resilient practices currently being implemented in their countries. Among those who responded to the Mentimeter poll, the most frequently reported practices were:
• Irrigation scheduling and soil moisture monitoring – 27%
• Organic amendments, including compost and manure – 20%
• Conservation and reduced tillage – 13%
The results show that practical solutions are already being applied across the region, while also pointing to the need for stronger support to increase their uptake and scale.
Regional experiences: Georgia, Montenegro and Romania
The webinar also featured a regional panel discussion, moderated by Sabrija Čadro, with participation from Georgia, Montenegro and Romania.
The country representatives shared experiences on drought-resilient land, soil and water management practices, existing support mechanisms, challenges and opportunities for further action. The discussion highlighted the importance of stronger technical and advisory support, access to finance, appropriate policy incentives and closer cooperation between practitioners, researchers and decision-makers.
The exchange also demonstrated the value of the UNCCD Community of Learning and Practice as a platform for regional peer-to-peer learning. It also showed the importance of continuing practical exchanges between countries facing similar drought, land degradation and water management challenges.
What should the CLP focus on next?
Participants were also asked to identify priorities for future CEE and Northern Mediterranean CLP activities.
Regional case studies were the leading priority, selected by 46% of respondents, followed by:
• Project development and regional cooperation – 23%
• Policy briefs – 15%
• Practical training for advisers – 15%
The strong interest in regional case studies highlights the value participants place on practical examples and lessons learned from countries facing similar drought-related challenges.
Key messages and next steps
The webinar also confirmed the need to continue regional exchange through the CLP, particularly by collecting and sharing case studies, supporting practical training, and strengthening cooperation between countries facing similar drought, land and water management challenges.
The webinar highlighted several key messages:
• Drought resilience begins before drought occurs.
• Healthy soils and sustainable land management can contribute to better water retention and greater resilience.
• Practical solutions are already available and being applied across the region.
• Scaling up remains a challenge and requires knowledge, finance, advisory support, incentives and enabling policies.
• Regional learning and exchange can help countries share practical solutions and accelerate uptake.
Webinar recording: