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In the Houet Province of central Burkina Faso, 43-year-old Sanou Fatimata is a key figure in the Song Taab Yalgre Association, a shea cooperative bringing together some 500 women. With more than three decades of experience in the shea industry, Fatimata seamlessly blends traditional methods with modern, eco-friendly practices, enhancing her community's cultural heritage and future sustainability. Fatimata's group is a member of the Global Shea Alliance, an industry association established in 2011.  As part of its efforts towards sustainability, the GSA supports women’s cooperatives to build their income generating capacity and more importantly their resilience.  For women’s cooperatives like Song Taab Yalgre, the shea tree, known as ‘shi yiri’ meaning 'life' in the Dioula language, serves as a cornerstone in enhancing livelihoods. Co-op members harvest shea fruit Its kernels, which are processed into shea butter used in cooking, medicine and cosmetics, are an important source of income in the wider Sahel region. Traditionally, women like Fatimata process shea kernels by hand. This involves gathering the kernels from shea parklands, transporting them back home to boil and dry and then manually crush and mill them. The kernels are then hand-kneaded to extract the oil, which in turn is heated and boiled to produce the final product, shea butter. Much of the shea butter is consumed at home but can also be sold locally or internationally, bringing income into the household. Many women also choose to sell the boiled and dried kernels directly to buyers, most of which end up in food or cosmetic products around the world. This is also another great income-generating activity especially if women are working together as a cooperative, where they can sell quantity at a negotiated price. Traditional methods blend with eco-friendly practices for sustainable production In recent years, there has been a significant decline in the number of shea trees, with approximately 8 million shea trees lost each year. This decline is attributed to various factors, including tree cutting for mechanized agriculture and fuelwood, as well as limited replanting due to cultural factors and the lengthy growth period of shea trees. This decrease in the shea tree population impacts rural economic development and women's empowerment. The availability of shea is at risk to respond to growing demand. Shea communities are at the same time disproportionately impacted by climate change, with extreme temperatures and climate events changing the landscape and impacting agricultural yields. Providing comprehensive training in sustainable shea tree management with an enhanced emphasis on conservation can ensure the long-term availability of shea resources, benefiting not only current collectors but generations to come.  Fatimata's group is a member of the Global Shea Alliance In early 2024, the GSA launched the "Reversing Land Degradation in Shea Communities” project in Mali and Burkina Faso, funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation through the UNCCD. The project focuses on land restoration and livelihood enhancement through regenerative shea agroforestry to increase shea-related incomes. The project aims to improve the income and nutrition of 2,500 women shea collectors and restore 150 ha of farmland and community land through agroforestry practices and shea tree planting. The women also plan to diversify their activities beyond production of shea butter to include crops such as moringa, baobab and fonio. To help with these activities, the project will provide access to water, through boreholes installation, and tricycles will be provided for greater efficiency. “The project activities will have a great impact on the community. The borehole will benefit both the cooperative and the community and will allow us to grow crops during the off-season. The vegetable and fonio harvests will be partly for consumption and partly for the local market, which will increase our financial income. We'll also be able to sell the baobab and moringa when they are ripe. I'm looking forward to the implementation of the activities and I'm committed to the success of the project," says Somda Leocadie, a member of one of the women's cooperatives in Burkina Faso. Despite challenges such as increasingly harsh weather conditions and market fluctuations, the cooperatives, including Fatimata's association, show remarkable resilience, strengthened by ongoing training in sustainable agriculture and financial management. Together, they envision their communities as models of sustainable growth and a brighter future for the Sahel. Photos: ULPKS – YIRIWASSO Cooperative.    

Burkina Faso and Senegal are leading a significant shift towards a future that's both sustainable and inclusive, according to new research released by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and UN Women. Filled with valuable insights for policymakers, NGOs and the private sector, the technical briefs focus on the unique opportunities and challenges facing women entrepreneurs and job seekers in the evolving green economy in these two African nations. At the heart of this transformation is the Great Green Wall Initiative, an ambitious project spanning the Sahel that aims to restore 100 million hectares of land, sequester 250 million tons of carbon, and create 10 million jobs by 2030. This massive undertaking is not only an environmental mission, but a pathway to economic revitalization, particularly in promoting gender equality and women's empowerment. “The green transition in Burkina Faso and Senegal is a beacon of hope for gender equality and women's empowerment. It calls for an integrated approach that links green economy goals with gender equality objectives. The Great Green Wall Initiative is a testament to these efforts, combining environmental restoration with economic and social empowerment. By unlocking green jobs for women in key sectors and advocating for gender-responsive policies, these countries aren’t just building a sustainable future; they’re paving the way for a more just and equitable world,” said UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw. Despite being a significant part of the workforce in both countries, women in Burkina and Senegal face many obstacles. They earn less than men, are less represented in leadership positions, and are mostly found in the informal sector. Starting formal businesses remains a challenge due to limited resources, such as capital and technology. Women also bear the heavy burden of unpaid care work, particularly in rural areas, which limits their opportunities for income and education. But there's a silver lining. Both countries have immense potential to create green jobs in areas such as agriculture, forestry, energy and waste management. It is estimated that around one million jobs can be created in these sectors, the majority of which will be for women. Opportunities abound in under-exploited areas such as non-timber forest products, the transformation of subsistence agriculture, solar energy and composting in waste management. These sectors offer rewarding and sustainable opportunities, especially for women. To unlock this potential, comprehensive strategies are essential. These include improving women's access to education and training, especially in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics); developing climate-resilient technologies for women's cooperatives; facilitating access to green finance; and addressing the burden of unpaid care work. In addition, promoting women's networks in the green economy and establishing innovative value chains centered on non-timber forest products are critical steps. Nearly half of the world's smallholder farmers are women, but they own less than 20 per cent of the world's land. In Senegal, where rural women make up about 70 per cent of the labour force and are responsible for 80 per cent of the country's food production, they own a disproportionately low 10 per cent of agricultural land. Similarly, in Burkina Faso, women make up 60 per cent of the labour force and produce about 70 per cent of the food, but their land ownership is also limited to 8 per cent. Moreover, in both countries, most women access land through their husbands and face difficulties in having their tenure rights recognised and effectively protected. Investing in women’s equal access to, use of and control over land and associated assets is a direct investment in their future and the future of humanity and the planet. Women are instrumental in providing security and stability in rural communities with great potential to contribute to land restoration activities. For more information, contact Mr. Gilles Amadou Ouédraogo gouedraogo@unccd.int  

  بون، ألمانيا، 21 فبراير/شباط 2024 - سيركز يوم التصحر والجفاف لهذا العام، الذي يُحتفل به في 17 يونيو/حزيران، على مستقبل الإشراف على الأراضي. في كل ثانية، يتدهور ما يعادل أربعة ملاعب كرة قدم من الأراضي السليمة - أي ما يصل إلى 100 مليون هكتار كل عام.  وأصبح إشراك الأجيال الحالية والمستقبلية أكثر أهمية من أي وقت مضى لوقف هذه الاتجاهات المقلقة وعكس مسارها والوفاء بالالتزامات العالمية باستعادة مليار هكتار من الأراضي المتدهورة بحلول عام 2030. إن الموضوع الذي تم اختياره ليوم التصحر والجفاف لهذا العام - "متحدون من أجل الأرض: إرثنا. مستقبلنا". - يسعى إلى تعبئة جميع شرائح المجتمع لدعم الإدارة المستدامة للأراضي.  كما سيصادف 17 يونيو/حزيران 2024 الذكرى الثلاثين لاتفاقية الأمم المتحدة لمكافحة التصحر ومقرها بون، وهي المعاهدة الدولية الوحيدة الملزمة قانوناً بشأن إدارة الأراضي والجفاف وإحدى اتفاقيات ريو الثلاث إلى جانب تغير المناخ والتنوع البيولوجي.   وقال إبراهيم ثياو، الأمين التنفيذي لاتفاقية الأمم المتحدة لمكافحة التصحر: "ما يصل إلى 40 في المائة من أراضي العالم متدهورة بالفعل، مما يؤثر على أكثر من نصف البشرية. ومع ذلك، فإن الحلول مطروحة على الطاولة. فاستصلاح الأراضي ينتشل الناس من الفقر ويبني القدرة على التكيف مع تغير المناخ. لقد حان الوقت للتكاتف من أجل الأرض وإظهار بطاقة حمراء لفقدان الأراضي وتدهورها في جميع أنحاء العالم."   سيقام الاحتفال العالمي الذي تستضيفه حكومة جمهورية ألمانيا الاتحادية في قاعة الفنون والمعارض في جمهورية ألمانيا الاتحادية في بون يوم الاثنين 17 يونيو/حزيران 2024، وسيقام الاحتفال العالمي في قاعة الفنون والمعارض في بون.  "يتأثر حوالي ربع سكان العالم بالجفاف. كما أن حالة التربة في أوروبا تتدهور بسرعة. وتشكل حماية التربة والأراضي تحديًا عالميًا. علينا أن نتحرك معاً اليوم حتى تتمكن الأجيال القادمة من الوصول إلى الموارد الطبيعية الحيوية. لن نكون قادرين على إطعام البشرية والتعامل مع أزمة المناخ والتنوع البيولوجي إلا إذا كانت لدينا تربة صحية." - يوخن فلاسبارث، وزير الدولة في الوزارة الاتحادية للتعاون الاقتصادي والتنمية.  سيجمع هذا الحدث الاحتفالي العالمي قادة من جميع أنحاء العالم وشباب وشخصيات بارزة من الأوساط الأكاديمية والمجتمع المدني والرياضة والترفيه، وسيظهر هذا الحدث الاحتفالي العالمي طموحاً قوياً للاتحاد من أجل الأرض، قبل انعقاد أكبر مؤتمر للأمم المتحدة حول الأراضي والجفاف على الإطلاق في الرياض بالمملكة العربية السعودية في ديسمبر 2024 (مؤتمر الأطراف السادس عشر لاتفاقية الأمم المتحدة لمكافحة التصحر).  وطوال شهري مايو/أيار ويونيو/حزيران، ستطلق اتفاقية الأمم المتحدة لمكافحة التصحر بالتعاون مع الوزارة الاتحادية الألمانية للتعاون الاقتصادي والتنمية ومدينة بون كشريك، حملة توعية عامة بعنوان #متحدون من أجل الأرض وستشارك في فعاليات مختلفة في بون وحولها حول مستقبل الإشراف على الأراضي.  وقالت كاتيا دورنر، عمدة مدينة بون: "بصفتها موطن اتفاقية الأمم المتحدة لمكافحة التصحر ومدينة تسير على الطريق نحو الحياد المناخي في عام 2035، لا يمكن لبون أن تفكر وتحمي المناخ والطبيعة والأرض معًا. الأرض هي كل شيء - وهي أكثر بكثير من مجرد المساحة التي بنيت عليها مدينتنا. فالأرض هي التربة التي تنمو عليها محاصيلنا، وهي موطن للنباتات والحيوانات، وإسفنجة للمياه، ومساحة مفتوحة وممر تبريد - وإرث نورثه للأجيال القادمة."  تحشد البلدان في جميع أنحاء العالم للاحتفال بيوم التصحر والجفاف بمجموعة من الأنشطة التعليمية والثقافية والرياضية - من عروض الأفلام إلى بطولات كرة القدم ومن غرس الأشجار إلى مسابقات البستنة. سيكون البرنامج الكامل للفعاليات متاحاً على الموقع الإلكتروني: https://www.unccd.int/events/desertification-drought-day.  نبذة عن يوم التصحر والجفاف   أعلنته الجمعية العامة للأمم المتحدة رسمياً في عام 1994 (A/RES/49/115)، وهو يوم التصحر والجفاف، الذي يُحتفل به سنوياً في 17 يونيو/حزيران، ويهدف إلى تحقيق الأهداف التالية     - تعزيز الوعي العام بالقضايا المرتبطة بالتصحر وتدهور الأراضي والجفاف.    - عرض الحلول التي يقودها الإنسان لمنع التصحر وعكس اتجاه الجفاف المتفاقم.    تعزيز تنفيذ اتفاقية الأمم المتحدة لمكافحة التصحر .  المشاركة في احتفال هذا العام:  لمعرفة المزيد عن يوم التصحر والجفاف لهذا العام، انقر هنا   /events/desertification-drought-day/2024  للوصول إلى مواد حملة #أمم_متحدة_من_أجل_الأرض، انقر هنا  https://trello.com/b/VdJGolcp/desertification-and-drought-day-2024  لمعرفة المزيد عن أنشطة يوم التصحر والجفاف حول العالم، انقر هنا  https://www.unccd.int/events/desertification-drought-day/2024/events-around-world  للمشاركة عبر الإنترنت في فعالية الاحتفال العالمي في بون، يرجى الاتصال على: communications@unccd.int   لمزيد من المعلومات، يرجى الاتصال بـ   اتفاقية الأمم المتحدة لمكافحة التصحر: زينيا سكانلون، 0492 5454 5454 152 49+، xscanlon@unccd.int أو يانيس أوملاوف   +49 178 285 285 8629 yumlauf@unccd.int مع إرسال نسخة إلى press@unccd.int و/أو   BMZ: وحدة الصحافة، الوزارة الاتحادية الألمانية للتعاون الاقتصادي والتنمية  هاتف: +49 (0)+49 30 18 535 18 2451 : presse@bmz.bund.de ، www.bmz.de  

About UNCCD Land Heroes The UNCCD Land Heroes campaign recognizes and supports young individuals and youth-led/based organizations making positive impacts against desertification, land degradation, and drought. Through online engagement, we raise awareness, share success stories, and empower youth as change agents in sustainable land management, engaging them in implementing the convention. Building on the success of the inaugural 2020 cohort, the second cohort of Land Heroes continues to inspire and mobilize youth to promote the UNCCD's objectives. About the Land Heroes campaign Part of the Land for Life Programme, #LandHeroes showcases youth's dedication to sustainable land management. These organizations and individuals share transformative journeys through social media, videos, blogs, and our dedicated website, amplifying their contributions and recognizing both young men and women as critical forces for positive change. Join us in celebrating these remarkable land champions. Objective The Land Heroes campaign aims to identify, celebrate, and support youth aged 18-35 engaged in sustainable land management, raising awareness of land's link to biodiversity and climate. By sharing stories, we inspire change, unite youth, provide mentorship, and showcase the transformative power of collective efforts. Campaign goals Raise awareness of land's connection to biodiversity and climate Spotlight diverse ways youth positively impact the land Share inspiring stories showcasing collective progress Empower youth to spread campaign messages and take action Provide mentorship in sustainable land management Share success stories to foster understanding and awareness Categories of Land Heroes Drought resilience: Early warning systems: Implementing proactive measures to anticipate and respond to drought conditions effectively. Mitigating the effects of drought: Innovative strategies for drought impact mitigation and ensure water availability. Adopting scalable and inclusive approaches: Promoting strategies that can be expanded to larger scales and inclusive of vulnerable populations to enhance drought resilience. Land restoration: Large-scale land restoration: Leadership in restoring degraded land on a large scale, contributing to ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation. Community-level land restoration: Impactful initiatives restoring degraded land at the community level, enhancing livelihoods and resilience. Inclusivity and equality: Gender equality and women's empowerment: Initiatives promoting gender equality in land ownership, decision-making, and conservation efforts Social equity: Initiatives promoting poverty eradication, social cohesion, etc. Indigenous knowledge: Amplifying indigenous knowledge and practices, recognizing their vital role in sustainable land management Science and innovation: Innovation: Innovative approaches in sustainable land management Technology: Harnessing technology for land monitoring, data analysis, and knowledge-sharing on sustainable practices Science and research: Contributions to scientific research and evidence-based decision-making in land management Key features of Land Heroes Youth engagement (18-35) in addressing land challenges Role models inspiring peers through dedication Inspirational leadership mobilizing youth for collective responsibility Passionate and dedicated to combating desertification and degradation Vision for change: Clear understanding and innovative strategies Collaboration with stakeholders for effective partnerships Strong communication: Effective online presence to inspire action Benefits for Land Heroes Grant of US$1,000 for top finalists in each category Attendance at high-level UNCCD meetings Publicity and recognition through interviews, media, and social platforms Mentorship for leadership, communication, and project management Opportunities to support UNCCD through advocacy, workshops, and content creation Participation in challenges and innovation forums Coordination with other Land Heroes for workshops and collaborative projects Identification of Land Heroes Ten Land Heroes are selected over two years based on criteria aligned with categories. Timeline Deadline extended: 29 February 2024 June 2024: Desertification and Drought Day December 2024: Participation in COP16 Meet the current cohort: Land Heroes Follow Us on social media: Twitter X | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn 

UNCCD and FAO are collaborating in a joint initiative to identify the most innovative and effective women-led initiatives.

Together KenGrow, Flux, Hiveonline and CYNK will deliver digital infrastructure alongside new regenerative agriculture techniques to increase climate finance inclusion for Kenyan women in rural communities.    Dubai, December 2023. CYNK, a leading climate finance platform founded in Nairobi, Kenya, announces a new partnership with KenGrow and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to provide funding and expertise to women smallholder farmers in emerging economies. The first climate smart regenerative agriculture project, based in Kisumu, Kenya, will see CYNK teaming up with KenGrow, a foundation that builds bridges between communities within Kenya and Flux, an organisation specialised in Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW), headquartered in Nairobi. Leveraging Hiveonline’s digital community finance platform KenGrow members will have access to financial inclusion tools that give women greater control of their finances.   CYNK's cutting-edge technology is set to empower women members of the KenGrow group in rural communities through a groundbreaking UNCCD Climate Smart Agriculture project. This partnership unlocks a triple win: increased income, climate resilience, and digital inclusion.    Women farmers will generate additional income by sequestering carbon on their farms and earning carbon credit revenue streams via CYNK's platform. This reduces their reliance on expensive synthetic fertilizers, further boosting their profits and yields. Additionally, CYNK's virtual training empowers them to adopt innovative, nature-positive farming techniques, specifically tailored to the cyclical nature and seasonality of agriculture. This builds resilience and paves the way for long-term success. The Kisumu-based project will combine Flux’s pioneering regenerative agriculture technique, with KenGrow’s networking and training opportunities. Flux reduces the overreliance on synthetic fertilizers by providing a natural soil health improver in the form of volcanic rock powders. This technique has the potential to sequester up to 5 gigatons of CO2 per year globally. It will support the socio-economic development of 2,000 Kenyan women in grassroots rural and peri-urban communities. Sudhu Arumugam, CEO at CYNK, commented: “We are proud to partner with these prestigious organisations to provide female smallholder farmers an opportunity to enhance their farming expertise and generate additional revenue streams via our carbon credit platform. It is critical to deploy scalable technology like regenerative agriculture to promote women’s financial resilience, protect soils relied upon by local communities and contribute to global climate goals.”  Louise Baker, Managing Director of the Global Mechanism at UNCCD, added: “We are excited to launch our Climate Smart Agriculture project in partnership with KenGrow and CYNK. It is clear that female smallholder farmers need to be at the forefront of climate action - this program will strengthen their capacity to apply positive agricultural and climate resilient practices. Investing in women’s access to funding and expertise is not only a question of justice but a commitment to the prosperity of our lands.”    For media inquiries contact London  Tristan Peniston-Bird, Portland Communications  +44 7772 031 886, Tristan.Peniston-Bird@Portland-Communications.com Pauline Guenot, Portland Communications +44 7379 068 832, Pauline.Guenot@Portland-Communications.com  Nairobi Joel Chacha, Portland Communications +254 722 909 251, Joel.Chacha@Portland-Communications.com About CYNK CYNK is an end-to-end platform that covers the lifecycle of a carbon or biodiversity credit. From origination, financing and secondary trading of carbon, CYNK is a one-stop platform for the origination of high-integrity credits with fully immutable audit trails of digital Monitoring Reporting and Verification (dMRV) via blockchains. https://www.CYNK.io