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More partnerships and investment are needed to support the pan-African partnership to tackle desertification and land degradation Rome, Italy, 16 December 2013 – The Great Green Wall initiative is hosting an international forum to build new partnerships and accelerate progress in tackling one of this century’s defining development challenges – land degradation, desertification and drought. The forum will also take stock of the achievements and future challenges of the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative. The two-day event, organized by the Global Mechanism of the UNCCD (GM) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under the auspices of the African Union Commission (AUC), is taking place on 16-17 December at FAO Headquarters in Rome. Since its adoption in 2007 by African Heads of State and Government, the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative has become Africa’s flagship initiative in tackling the detrimental social, economic and environmental impact of land degradation, desertification, drought and climate change. It is estimated that 83 per cent of rural people in Sub-Saharan Africa depend on the land for their livelihoods, but 40 per cent of Africa’s land resources are currently degraded. Poverty, hunger, unemployment, forced migration, conflict and security issues are just some of the many threats arising from this situation. In the Sahel, seasonal temperatures have risen between 1.5-2.0 degrees Celsius, making land and the local populations all the more vulnerable to weather events that have become more and more unpredictable and severe. Bold coordinated action and more investments in sustainable land management are needed to boost food production, help people adapt to climate change and mitigate its effects, support biodiversity, enhance businesses based on land resources and contribute to a green economy. Action on the ground A mosaic of natural resource management programmes underway in some of the countries, demonstrate the potential of sustainable land management to boost food security, improve community livelihoods and build the resilience of the land and the people to the changing climate. In southern Niger, for instance, farmers have rehabilitated over 5 million hectares of land, using a low cost land restoration technique called farmer-managed natural regeneration. This has boosted crop and livestock yields, as well the production of medicine and firewood. In Senegal, 27 000 hectares of degraded land were restored by the planting of 11 million trees. Part of this re-greened area is being converted into a community-based reserve for eco-tourism. A mechanized technology, known as the Vallerani-system inspired from traditional practices has helped to restore more than 50 000 hectares of agro-forestry systems in Burkina Faso, Niger and Senegal. It is seeding native trees, shrubs and herbs, boosting the production of crops, gums and resins, and providing fodder for livestock. Breaking the cycle “The time has come to break the vicious cycle of crises in Africa's Sahel by building up the ability of rural communities to weather drought and other shocks, rather than merely helping them recover from disaster,” said Maria-Helena Semedo, FAO’s Deputy Director-General, at the opening of the event. "The Great Green Wall initiative is an opportunity to bring a coordinated and harmonized response to the issues of forced migration, food security and peace in Africa", Monique Barbut, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), said to the representatives of African countries, international organizations, development banks, civil society and the private sector. With less than three per cent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s total cropland currently benefiting from sustainable land and water management, she warned that a major effort would be required to build the resilience of people in the region and the natural systems on which they so intimately depend. EU Development Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, added: “I am pleased to support the Green Wall initiative – it is very much in line with the EU’s own commitment to doing all we can to help people in those countries most affected by climate change to be able to better adapt to its impact in the future, as well as improving food security and making agriculture more sustainable.” Expanding partnership “Partnerships are crucial to support governments in mobilizing the necessary technical and financial resources for the implementation of their Great Green Wall plans,” said Dr. Abebe Haile Gabriel, Director for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission. New partnerships are needed to strengthen the global alliance that has emerged under the leadership of the African Union, he added, stressing the need for streamlined coordination among partners and the importance of close monitoring and evaluation of the impact of their actions. So far, the African Union – in cooperation with the European Union, FAO, the Global Mechanism of the UNCCD, the Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew and the Walloon Region of Belgium – has mobilized more than €50 million in support of the Great Green Wall Initiative. The World Bank and Global Environment Facility are financing the US$1 billion Sahel and West Africa Program (SAWAP), active in 12 countries together with a regional hub project called Building Resilience through Innovation, Communication, and Knowledge Services (BRICKS), implemented by the Permanent Interstates Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), the Sahara and Sahel Observatory  (OSS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Great Green Wall initiative Endorsed in 2007 by African Heads of State and Government, the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative aims to reverse land degradation and desertification in the Sahel and Sahara, whilst mitigating social, economic and environmental crises for the region’s most vulnerable people. The initiative brings together more than 20 African countries across North Africa, the Sahel and the Horn, international organizations, research institutes, civil society and grassroots organizations, supporting local communities in the sustainable management and use of forests, rangelands and other natural resources in dryland areas.  It also seeks to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well improve the food security and community livelihoods in the Sahel and the Sahara. Contact Global Mechanism of the UNCCD Maurizio Navarra Communications Officer m.navarra@global‐mechanism.org

Warsaw, Poland, 19 November 2013 – ‘Land belongs to the future, let’s climate proof it!’ is the slogan for next year’s World Day to Combat Desertification and drought. It captures the theme of ecosystem-based adaptation for 2014 and underscores the urgent need for action to protect healthy ecosystems and to manage productive land sustainably. “Land is the basis of all life on Earth and the source of livelihood for over 2 billion people. But every year, over 12 million productive hectares are transformed into wasteland through desertification and drought alone,” says Monique Barbut, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). "There is a fairly close match between ecosystem collapse and the political instability or conflict in the world today. With the livelihoods of so many people still dependent on the land, climate proofing our productive lands, especially in the world’s drylands, cannot be delayed any further.” “Either we take the measures needed to enhance resilience and enable land-dependent communities to adapt or we prepare for the political consequences of our inaction. The choice is ours and 2014 is the year we are calling on every country to do its part," Barbut added. Under the theme of ecosystem-based adaptation, the World Day to Combat Desertification aims to increase the attention given to land and soil in the context of climate change adaptation and food security, as well as to mobilize public actions for sustainable land management. Ecosystem-based adaptation focuses on natural solutions for adapting to the impacts of climate change.  It is one of the least costly adaptation strategies and offers many co-benefits, such as water, soil and biodiversity conservation. Until now, climatic variations combined with unsustainable human activities have been the main drivers of land degradation and desertification. However, an increase in the number of extreme weather events and severity of droughts and floods in the last decades is threating the livelihoods of many communities around the world.  The impacts are taking a toll on the resilience of ecosystems and communities, making it harder and harder for people who depend on the land for sustenance to recover their livelihoods. This in turn has serious implications for migration and security. Through ecosystem-based adaptation, preventive actions could be taken to protect land and soil, which ultimately, is more cost effective than responding to disasters. The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought has been marked every year since 1994. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly to be observed in every nation in order to raise awareness about the effects of unsustainable land use and to promote implementation of the UNCCD. During the 2014 commemoration, the UNCCD will announce the winners of the 2014 Land for Life Award. This is a prestigious global award with a prize fund of USD$100,000 to recognize innovations and leadership in land and soil management and restoration. Applications for the Award, which is open to individuals, organizations, governments and research institutions, are now being accepted.  The application deadline is 15 March 2014. As part of the day’s activities, governments will also announce their 2014 National Drylands Champions, a recognition program which rewards national activities that make a practical contribution to sustainable land management. For more information on the World Day to Combat Desertification, click here.

Bonn, Germany, 14 October 2013 – His Excellency Pedro Pires, former President of Cape Verde, has accepted his designation as UNCCD Drylands Ambassador. “Sustainable Land Management, particularly the fight against desertification, land degradation and drought are major priorities for Africa,” Pires said in his acceptance message, noting further that the mission of the UNCCD secretariat “is a source of hope for a large number of countries with regard to the support needed to put in place an effective and successful programme of action.” Mr Pires expresses specific interest in promoting sustainable land management, particularly in the context of the global post-2015 Development Agenda.  The post-2015 Development Agenda is designed to bring together two separate processes: the development of Sustainable Development Goals, the outcome of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Rio + 20; and the follow-up to the Millennium Development Goals that were set for up to 2015. In June 2012 at Rio + 20, world leaders recognized the growing challenges of desertification, land degradation and drought, and agreed to strive towards a land-degradation neutral world, and to monitor, globally, land degradation and land restoration in the drylands. The UNCCD has a major stake in the post-2015 Development Agenda because of the large global population of the poor residing in the drylands and depends directly on the land. The Convention also has the unique mandate of addressing both the environment and development challenges stemming from poverty and inappropriate land use. In his last official function as UNCCD Executive Secretary, Mr. Luc Gnacadja, in reference to the designation said, “we are honored to have His Excellency serving as UNCCD Drylands Ambassador. He will be a powerful spokesperson on sustainable development and combatting desertification in the global efforts to mobilize the political will needed to turn the tide towards first-rate global land stewardship.” “One of the persistent challenges the UNCCD has encountered since its inception in 1994 is making a strong case about the value of the drylands and the benefits of sustainable land management. Our effort in this regard has been gradually recognized, but we need to further enhance our advocacy so that sustainable land management becomes a key pillar of the post-2015 development agenda,” he added.  UNCCD Drylands Ambassadors are appointed to undertake specified functions, including advocacy, knowledge dissemination, awareness raising and increasing the visibility of the often poor and voiceless drylands populations. They are offered an initial two-year term that is renewable.  Others who have served or are serving as UNCCD Drylands Ambassadors include Dr. Dennis Garrity, former Director-General of the World Agroforestry Center, economist Professor Jeffrey Sachs, renowned South African gospel singer Deborah Fraser and Miss Universe 2011 Leila Lopes of Angola. Mr Pires is an awardee of the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, in recognition of making Cape Verde a model of democracy, stability and increased prosperity. About the UNCCD Desertification, along with climate change and the loss of biodiversity, were identified as the greatest challenges to sustainable development during the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Established in 1994, UNCCD is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment, development and the promotion of healthy soils. The Convention’s 195 signatory Parties work to alleviate poverty in the drylands, maintain and restore the land’s productivity, and mitigate the effects of drought.

Ghent, Belgium, 17 July 2013 – Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary, UN Convention to Combat Desertification this morning called for action at the policy and grassroots profits in order to mitigate the effects of drought, and to combat desertification and land degradation effectively. “On the ground, we must help local communities adopt and scale up sustainable land management practices,” he stressed. On the policy front, he said, one side of the equation is to turn the global aspiration of a land-degradation neutral world into a reality by giving it a concrete target under the Sustainable Development Goals under consideration. The other side is to mitigate drought by implementing the outcomes of the recent high level meeting on national drought policy held in Geneva in order to better prepare for and manage the risks associated with drought. Gnacadja was speaking at the global Conference on Desertification and Land Degradation taking place in Ghent, Belgium, in observance of the World Day to Combat Desertification, marked worldwide on 17 June every year. To mark the celebration, Gnacadja announced the three winners of the Land for Life Award with a total prize fund of USD100,000 drawn from 137 applications received from 62 countries. Foundation for Ecological Security from India was declared overall winner with Consejo Civil Mexicano para la Silvicultura Sostenible from Mexico and World Vision Australia for its work in West Africa tied for second position, “These three winners exemplify the type of leadership and initiatives that make a difference at the grassroots level. They have succeeded in improving livelihoods while fostering good land stewardship. Much of what they do is simple, but transformational. Gnacadja stressed that “the most affected communities are not standing by, but are leading the way to drought resilience, food and water security.” To read the full statement of Luc Gnacadja, click here. Guido Van Huylenbroeck, Dean, Faculty of BioScience and Engineering, University of Ghent, stressed the need to join forces to act on land degradation using holistic approaches. He said only an integrated approach which involves not only scientists, but also biologists, agronomists and economists, among others, can offer solutions for land resources and protect them from land degradation and desertification worldwide “Not science and for science, but scientific analysis that results in concrete action,” he said. Donald Gabriels, Chairman, UNESCO Chair on Eremology at the University of Ghent outlined the achievements over two decades in the nine member countries of working together under the Sustainable Management of Marginal Drylands partnership. The World Day is observed all over the world to draw global attention to strengthen action to combat desertification and land degradation, and mitigate the effects of drought. This year, the event was marked in many countries all over the world, including, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Eritrea, Ghana, Georgia, Hungary, Iran, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. For more information on the Day, visit: https://www2.unccd.int/actions/17-june-desertification-and-drought-day

Top sustainable land management prize totaling USD 100,000 goes to development organizations in India, Mexico and Australia Ghent, Belgium, 17 June 2013 – For the second year running, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has announced the winners of the 2013 Land for Life Award with a USD 100,000 cash award, to shine the spotlight on organizations that show tangible evidence in combating desertification, land degradation and drought. The announcement was made as part of the worldwide celebrations of the World Day to Combat Desertification taking place today. The first prize award of USD 40,000 goes to Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), a non-governmental organization in India, which was ranked top of the 137 applicants from 62 countries. The second place was a tie between Consejo Civil Mexicano para la Silvicultura Sostenible (CCMSS) from Mexico for its work in the Amanalco Valle Bravo Basin in central Mexico and World Vision Australia for popularizing Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration in the Sahel region in Africa. Mr. Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD, announced the winners this morning at the Conference on Desertification and Land Degradation from the City of Ghent, Belgium, which is hosting the World Day global observance. “These three winners exemplify the type of leadership and initiatives that make the difference at the grassroots level. They improve livelihoods while fostering good land stewardship. Much of what they offer is simple, but transformational,” Mr. Gnacadja said. “We recognize innovative community initiatives that can be replicated to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable and affected populations. What is needed now are policies to attract investment to scale them up and roll them out,” he added. The organization Rehabilitation of Arid Environments in Kenya received special mention from the jury for their achievements in drylands area of Baringo County, helping rural communities to regenerate degraded land. During the event, Gnacadja also announced that Eritrea, Hungary, Kenya, Portugal and Thailand were unveiling their Drylands Champions as part of the worldwide observances to celebrate the Day. He said their zeal, drive and sacrifice keep alive the hope for a productive land heritage for children yet unborn. They “are the global land heroes of our time,” he said. The jury for the Land for Life Award is independent with experts drawn from the field of sustainable land management. It includes personalities like Ms. Yolanda Kakabadse, President of WWF, Dr. Vandana Shiva, a renowned environmental activist from India, Dr. Dennis Garrity, former executive director of World Agroforestry Center and Dr. Mary Seely from the Desert Research Foundation in Namibia, among other respected experts from academia, government, and civil society. "We are recognizing organizations that have innovated techniques that have jumped the gap and are being applied with large scale impacts and potential for replicability globally as well as nationally,” said Dr. Garrity, speaking on behalf of the Jury.  “Each of these initiatives has engaged thousands of rural people and they work at the community level, motivating smallholder farming households to actively engage as stewards of the soil."  (ends) Notes to Editors: The following is a summary of each of the winners accompanied by a quote from the winners and the Executive Secretary. Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), India When land is shared by everyone, who is responsible for its well-being? Working through traditional democratic institutions in more than 4,000 villages, FES has motivated communities to actively engage in land stewardship, changing how people gather firewood and graze their animals on common lands. By using the land restoration techniques introduced by FES, soil fertility, biodiversity and ground water availability has improved in over 200,000 hectares of common property rangelands, with benefits to an estimated 1.7 million people across India.  Their work has also influenced national laws for common land management. Quote from FES: “We are happy that 'Commons' both as resource systems and as a governance paradigm is gaining recognition internationally,” said Mr. Jagdeesh Rao, Executive Director of FES. “With our feet firmly on the ground and with growing enthusiasm, FES will continue to espouse the cause of improved governance of nature and natural resources to provide better opportunities to the rural poor.” Quote by Luc Gnacadja: “Poor land governance is one of the leading reasons for the emergence of desertification and land degradation in many parts of the world. FES has found an innovative solution to this problem and for large-scale commons.” Consejo Civil Mexicano para la Silvicultura Sostenible (CCMSS), Mexico CCMSS was recognized for its work in the Amanalco Valle Bravo Basin in central Mexico, which provides vital water and forest resources to millions of people. But the land in this valley has suffered environmental degradation recently due to population pressures and unplanned development. CCMSS has built the capacity of 1,500 smallholder farmer families to carry out sustainable agriculture and forestry management over 15,200 hectares. They are also piloting carbon finance (REDD+) and payment for ecosystem services programs in Mexico. Quote from CCMSS: “We would like to express our deep acknowledgement to the rural communities that silently make great efforts to sustainably manage landscapes, safeguarding humanity’s bio-cultural heritage,” said Mr. Sergio Madrid Zubiran, Executive Director of CCMSS. “The work of CCMSS has prospered thanks to determination of Mexican communities and to the wisdom, knowledge and efforts they make in order to collectively steward natural resources, demonstrating the success of their organization strategies.” Quote by Luc Gnacadja: “The most sustainable solutions to our environmental problems are those that find a balance between resource conservation, improving livelihoods and income generation, and CCMSS has found that balance.” World Vision Australia and Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration in West Africa World Vision Australia has popularized the concept of Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) in West Africa and beyond, changing how thousands of farmers manage their land. In many degraded environments, the naturally-occurring trees and shrubs have been cut for firewood, building materials and to plant crops, but the roots remain under the ground - an "underground forest".  By managing this underground forest back to maturity, degraded forests are restored, thereby reversing biodiversity loss and reducing vulnerability to climate change. When FMNR trees are integrated into crops and grazing pastures there is an increase in crop yields, soil fertility and organic matter, soil moisture and leaf fodder. There is also a decrease in wind and heat damage, and soil erosion. Over the last 20 years, World Vision Australia has trained thousands of farmers in FMNR, resulting in the restoration of thousands of hectares in 14 countries. Quote from World Vision Australia:  "World Vision Australia is thrilled by the UNCCD's recognition of our reforestation work. This award is another big step towards global recognition of Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration and the impact it's having on tackling poverty,” said Mr. Tim Costello, chief executive of World Vision Australia.  “The pioneer of FMNR, Tony Rinaudo, has committed his life to reforesting degraded land and bringing hope back to communities, so it is a great pleasure for me and my colleagues to witness the impact his work is now having in 14 countries around the world. FMNR is truly turning man-made deserts into food bowls and that's something World Vision is immensely proud of."   Quote by Luc Gnacadja: “The value of traditional and indigenous knowledge systems in environmental management today is often questioned, but in FMNR, the power of traditional knowledge systems that are combined with conventional science truly comes alive. The scale of land rehabilitation in this region and the impact it has had on the well-being of the local people is nothing short of phenomenal.” About the Land for Life Award The Land for Life award programme is a collaborative initiative between the UNCCD and the Korea Forest Service, Elion Resources Group, China, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Global Environment Facility, International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Qatar National Food Security Programme. For media coverage and interviews, contact: Ms. Emily Davila Email: edavila@unccd.int Tel: +49 228 815 2831 Resources Photos of Land for Life Award winners for Media use:  https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=28035CC649F0A07A!1216&authkey=!AMoSJ4nwb9Z31gg More on the WDCD and events taking place around the world:  /en/programmes/Event-and-campaigns/WDCD/WDCD2013/Pages/default.aspx?HighlightID=168 Land for Life Award: /en/programmes/Event-and-campaigns/LandForLife

Bonn, Germany, 6 May 2013 – The secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification is pleased to announce the 16 semi-finalists of this year’s Land for Life Award. The semi-finalists are from 13 countries - Australia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Portugal, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States and Zimbabwe. From planting a great green wall in Indonesia, to building sand dams in Kenya, to growing food in the shade of solar panels in India, these semi-finalists offer innovative and inspiring lessons on how to restore and conserve land. “As with last year, this year’s semi-finalists show that land degradation and drought are not fates. Innovative and inspiring solutions exist that we can scale-up and scale out,” Mr. Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD responded when the short-list was presented to him. “Recognizing efforts like these on sustainable land management is particularly timely because the global community is looking to create sustainable development goals that can be measured and achieved to curb land and soil degradation,” he added. Land degradation is often an underlying factor of rural poverty, which severely impacts the ability of subsistence farmers to grow food and access freshwater.  An estimated 70 per cent of the developing world’s 1.4 billion extremely poor people live in rural areas, according to a 2011 report by International Fund for Agricultural Development. This is the second cycle of the Land for Life Award, which was established in 2011 to recognize efforts that promote the natural health and productivity of the earth’s soils. The semi-finalists represent some of the most cutting-edge and practical solutions in global sustainable land management. The three winners chosen from among them will share a prize fund of up to 100,000 USD. Winners will be announced on 17 June, at the global observance of the World Day to Combat Desertification to be held at the Conference on Desertification and Land Degradation in Ghent, Belgium. The semi-finalists were selected from 137 applications submitted from 62 countries. The Award is open to individuals, NGOs, governments, business, media and others contributing to sustainable land management. Winners are selected by an independent jury of experts from the field of sustainable land management, with personalities like Ms. Yolanda Kakabadse, President of WWF, Dr. Vandana Shiva, a renowned environmental activist from India, Dr. Dennis Garrity, former executive director of World Agroforestry Center and Dr. Mary Seely from the Desert Research Foundation in Namibia, among other respected experts from government, the UNCCD and civil society. The sixteen semi-finalists are: Abellon CleanEnergy, India Abellon is the only business in the world that employs landless farmers and women to practice agriculture under the shade of solar panels.  The 12 hectares of solar panels provide the community with clean energy, as well as organic fruits and vegetables grown with water run-off from frequent panel cleaning. The Savory Institute, Zimbabwe A lifelong champion of sustainable land management, Allan Savory has pioneered the concept of holistic land management, promoting sustainable grazing particularly in the grasslands of Africa.  The Savory Institute is creating a global network of 100 locally-led hubs to provide training, consulting and implementation support for land managers. Ms. Bilha Givon, Israel Working in one of the most degraded environments in Israel, Ms. Givon has dedicated her life to environmental conservation in the Negev Desert. As the founder of the NGO Sustainable Development in the Negev (SDN), she is the key initiator of environmental responsibility forums, where communities engage in regular dialogues with industry polluters, which has resulted in improved environmental standards.  Her leadership has also resulted in the first “green” ISO-certified towns in Israel. Biovision Foundation, Switzerland and East Africa Through popularizing the Push-Pull method, the Biovision foundation has helped 50,000 maize farmers in East Africa prevent pests, increase crop outputs and enhance soil fertility.  The foundation also supports medicinal plant-based enterprises which protect forest biodiversity, as well as communication initiatives such as publishing the only newspaper on ecological farming in East Africa. Conservation International, Indonesia Targeting restoration of a key watershed, Conservation International Indonesia has planted a green wall of 100,000 native trees over a 200-hectare area bordering two national parks. The wall prevents soil erosion and protects water flows for 30 million consumers downstream in Greater Jakarta. Consejo Civil Mexicano para la Silvicultura Sostenible (CCMSS), Mexico The Amanalco Valle Bravo Basin in central Mexico provides vital water and forest resources to millions of people. But recently the land has suffered due to population pressures and unplanned development.  CCMSS has built the capacity of 1,500 families of smallholder farmers for sustainable agriculture and forestry management over 15,200 hectares. They also are piloting carbon finance (REDD+) and payment for ecosystem services programs in Mexico. DeCo! Ghana Farmers in the savanna region of Ghana have low crop yields as result of poor soils. DeCo! supplies them  with organic fertilizer through a sustainable business model, collecting local waste, fruit, vegetable and other biomass residues to produce rich compost. DeCo!’s compost offers a low-cost alternative to less sustainable government subsidized chemical fertilizers. EcoAgriculture Partners, United States The concept of ecoagriculture means managing landscapes in a way that supports people’s well-being, biodiversity, food production and the conservation of ecosystem services. Through developing practical tools, providing trainings and conducting research, EcoAgriculture Partners acts as global thought leader in the field of sustainable land management. Excellent Development, United Kingdom & Kenya Working in dryland areas across East Africa, Excellent Development supports access to clean water for rural communities by offering technical support for the building of sand dams.  Sand dams are reinforced concrete walls installed in seasonal riverbeds. The technique creates a higher riverbed, which acts like a sponge to store water and replenishes the aquifer. The technique has spread largely via word of mouth, and there are currently 2,000 sand dams globally. Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), India When land is shared by everyone, who is responsible for its well-being? Through land restoration and establishing community governance mechanisms, FES has worked to bring sustainable land management to over 200,000 hectares of common property rangelands, forests and water resources in India. Their work has improved the livelihoods of 1.7 million people living in more than 4,000 villages, and influenced national environmental policy. Liga para a Protecção da Natureza (LPN) Portugal Working in Castro Verde, the region in Portugal most susceptible to desertification, LPN supports farmers to continue traditional steppe farming, practices which support eco-systems that provide over 30,000 hectares of habitat for endangered migratory birds.  Rehabilitation of Arid Environments Trust (RAE), Kenya In Baringo County Kenya, 70 percent of land is arid or semi-unproductive, subject to increasing soil erosion, loss of vegetative cover and decreasing biodiversity. Working with the community over 30 years, RAE has implemented a variety of land rehabilitation techniques based on harvesting rainfall as well as other programs supporting rural livelihoods. Their work has benefited 20,000 farmers and pastoralists directly, and 380,000 people in the community at large. Royal Botanic Garden, Community-Based Rangeland Rehabilitation Project, Jordan In 2007, the Royal Botanic Garden decided to conserve a new parcel of land, building a fence around the 200-hectare site. But the local community was not on board and every night Bedouin herders would sneak across the fence and graze their animals. So the RBG introduced a program of managed grazing, engaging with the herders and allowing them to graze during certain periods, giving the land a needed respite.  As a result, erosion has declined and soil fertility and biodiversity have increased, including the return of some plants that had even disappeared in recent years Dr. Venanzio Vallerani, Italy (In memoriam) Dedicating his life to helping farmers in arid environments, Dr. Vallerani pioneered the “Vallerani system,” a method of land cultivation that uses a special tractor which can treat 30 hectares in a single day.  Through digging a series of half-moons, the method prepares the earth for planting and better water absorption during the short rainy season. Dr. Vallerani passed away in 2012 at the age of 88. He influenced an entire generation of foresters and land conservation technicians in the Sahel and beyond. Wildlife Works Carbon, USA & Kenya Wildlife Works is a for-profit company that has pioneered the first application of the UN REDD+ program and carbon credits to finance large-scale forest conservation in the tropics. By creating jobs in conservation, eco-charcoal production and at an organic clothing factory, Wildlife Works offers people an opportunity to earn an income through alternative means, reducing pressures on land. The initiative benefits 120,000 people in southeast Kenya and protects over 500,000 acres in a key wildlife corridor. World Vision Australia By popularizing the concept of Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), World Vision has changed how thousands of farmers manage their land, helping them cultivate buried root systems or “underground forests,” in degraded landscapes, over time restoring productivity. Over the last 20 years, World Vision has trained thousands of farmers in FMNR, resulting in the restoration of thousands of hectares in West Africa and beyond. For more information and photos. click here. About the Land for Life Award The 2013 Land for Life award is a collaboration between the UNCCD and the Korea Forest Service, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Global Environment Facility, International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Qatar National Food Security Programme, and the Elion Resources Group, China. About the UNCCD Desertification, along with climate change and the loss of biodiversity, were identified as the greatest challenges to sustainable development during the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Established in 1994, UNCCD is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment, development and the promotion of healthy soils. The Convention’s 195 signatory Parties work to alleviate poverty in the drylands, maintain and restore the land’s productivity, and mitigate the effects of drought. Press Contact Wagaki Mwangi +49 228 815 2820wmwangi@unccd.int