All publications and documents

Driven by climate change, population growth, economic development, and poor water management, the increasingly limited availability of freshwater resources is a fundamental concern for societies worldwide. Drought and water scarcity – two major phenomena that challenge water security – know no national boundaries and affect all socioeconomic sectors of society, with a greater impact on the more…

Heatwaves, sand and dust storms, and desertification are the symptoms of over-exploitation aimed at constant growth, material prosperity for some, uncurbed population development, and an economy that still heavily relies on nonrenewable energy sources. Drought is not just the absence of rain; it is fueled by land degradation and the climate crisis. Recent scientific…

Addressing poverty and vulnerability in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic” is the theme of the 2021 Economic Report on Africa. The report provides a perspective of the causes and consequences of increased poverty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as from other shocks such as an oil price collapse, within a vulnerability–poverty–resilience framework, providing national estimates of people…

Under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework, Africa is pursuing broad-based development by addressing constraints to its long-term growth and transformation. The development vision of Africa is anchored on Agenda 2063, articulated through the Africa We Want, and the United Nations Agenda 2030. To meet these goals, by leveraging the immense potential of the continent, further bold…

WOCAT and UNCCD designed a tool to assess the gender-responsiveness of SLM Technologies and Approaches and to identify areas of improvement. This tool supports project planners, designers, and implementers in their effort to scale up SLM Technologies and Approaches for women and men equally. The gender-responsive SLM tool was reviewed during a UNCCD-WOCAT consultation workshop with…

Direct and indirect gender-related barriers prevent women from adopting SLM practices. These barriers include land tenure insecurity; land availability; education or literacy levels; access to seeds, fertilizers, or extension services; and access to technologies and financing. As a result, women adopt SLM technologies at a rate that is typically lower and slower than that of men. In…