Stories

On March 26, 2010, a massive dust storm rose from the exposed bed of the South Aral Sea and swept across southern Kazakhstan. Within hours, skies darkened, visibility collapsed and toxic dust blanketed towns and farmland. The storm carried more than just sand and silt—it spread salt, pesticides and heavy metals, the legacy of decades of environmental mismanagement. It disrupted transport, damaged crops and strained hospitals with respiratory cases—highlighting how land degradation can trigger public health emergencies and economic instability.This wasn’t an isolated event. Over the past two decades, sand and dust storms (SDS) in Kazakhstan have grown more frequent and intense, particularly across the Aral Sea Basin and the country’s southern and central regions. What were once seasonal disturbances are now recognized as chronic climate and land-use threats.Sand and dust storms—vast natural phenomena capable of transporting fine particles across borders and continents—pose grave risks to public health, agriculture, infrastructure and national development. They aggravate respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, damage crops and livestock and interrupt transport and trade. In Kazakhstan, these storms are primarily driven by land degradation, unsustainable farming, deforestation and climate change—a combination that continues to erode natural resilience.While SDS play a role in global ecological systems—such as fertilizing distant ecosystems like the Amazon—their local impact in Kazakhstan is urgent and deeply disruptive.The Changwon Initiative: Building resilience from the ground upIn response to the growing SDS threat, Kazakhstan turned to partnerships that combined local action with global expertise. One of the most influential has been the Changwon Initiative, launched under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) as a key driver of global dryland restoration efforts.Between 2015 and 2017, the Changwon Initiative—through the Greening Drylands Partnership—helped Kazakhstan lay essential groundwork for SDS preparedness. Though originally aimed at enhancing drought resilience, the project quickly evolved to address overlapping environmental risks. In the Makhtaral and Shardara districts, the initiative strengthened early warning systems, raised awareness among farmers and herders and supported climate risk assessments. Over 140 sustainable land management practices were identified and promoted, including the restoration of 64 hectares of degraded dryland. These measures didn’t just address symptoms—they helped local communities build long-term resilience to future storms.Advancing forecasting and preparednessBuilding on earlier progress, Kazakhstan has significantly expanded its SDS forecasting and preparedness systems. In collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization’s Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System (SDS-WAS), the country now uses integrated regional and global forecasting models that provide SDS predictions every three hours, with up to 72 hours of lead time.Improved forecasting helps farmers protect crops, health agencies prepare for respiratory surges and officials respond with faster, data-driven decisions. Kazakhstan’s active participation in the SDS-WAS Asia Regional Centre has also enhanced regional cooperation, particularly with China, Mongolia, Japan and Korea, through data exchange and collaborative research.From reactive to proactive: A shift in national strategyPerhaps the most transformative outcome has been the shift in national mindset—from reacting to each storm to anticipating and managing risk. SDS are now integrated into broader climate adaptation and sustainable land use policies and early warnings are reaching more rural communities.Farmers, local officials and frontline workers are increasingly adopting practical mitigation strategies—from planting vegetation that stabilizes soil, to modifying planting schedules based on storm forecasts.The Changwon Initiative’s contribution goes beyond project outcomes: it has helped embed environmental risk reduction into Kazakhstan’s long-term development planning.A Scalable example for the regionKazakhstan’s efforts show what’s possible when scientific forecasting, policy innovation and local action work in concert. While climate change and land degradation continue to fuel SDS across Central Asia, Kazakhstan is charting a course toward resilience. What began with emergency response—like that triggered by the 2010 dust storm—has evolved into a national model for proactive environmental management. With ongoing backing — including from the Changwon Initiative — Kazakhstan’s approach offers a practical, scalable model for other dryland countries. It shows that early warning, land restoration and local engagement are not only feasible but essential to safeguarding lives, livelihoods and development in vulnerable landscapes.

The UNCCD Data Dashboard is the first global tool to monitor land degradation based on information reported by countries.  Its latest update makes it easier to see how countries are responding to the crisis by bringing together, in one platform, the voluntary Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets and actions submitted by governments. Until now, this information was scattered across many various reports.With support from the European Commission, the UNCCD secretariat created a system to gather and manage national commitments, including a map showing geospatial data from 2022 reports. The new public update means anyone can now search, filter and download this data to see what countries are doing to stop and reverse land degradation.The Dashboard’s first release showed just how severe the crisis is: every year between 2015 and 2019, the world lost at least 100 million hectares of healthy land — roughly the size of Egypt. But the Dashboard also shows success stories:  Botswana cut land degradation by more than half, while the Dominican Republic restored vast areas of farmland and watersheds.The new section on LDN targets adds to other UNCCD tools such as the Drought Toolbox, which helps countries to design drought policies and resilience strategies, and the Sand and Dust Storms Toolbox, which identifies storm sources, assess risks and design mitigation measures.By providing a clear, accessible overview of global progress, the updated Data Dashboard will support informed decision-making and facilitate more targeted discussions at CRIC 23 in Panama this December and at COP 17 in Mongolia next year, where parties will review implementation, raise ambition and shape the next phase of collective action. It will also strengthen collaboration and foster greater synergies with partners such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.Together, these tools and processes aim to accelerate global efforts toward restoring 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030 — a goal still within reach if countries act swiftly and work together.

When Southern Africa experienced its third consecutive year of severe drought between 2015 and 2017, Bongani Simon Masuku — now Principal Secretary in Eswatini’s Ministry of Agriculture — saw firsthand how fragmented responses could deepen a crisis. As a longtime advocate for science-based policy and former Chair of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Committee on Science and Technology, Masuku recalls how the lack of coordination and shared learning left many countries struggling to respond effectively.Those hard lessons, nearly a decade old, laid the groundwork for more coordinated and inclusive approaches to drought management — culminating in a significant breakthrough at UNCCD COP16 in 2024.A turning point at COP16Officially launched at UNCCD COP16 in December 2024, the Communities of Learning and Practice on Drought Management (CLP) marked a step change in how countries approach drought.Supported under the Changwon Initiative, the CLP has grown into five regional and one global community: multilingual, interactive spaces for peer learning, co-creation and practical capacity-building.The CLP directly supports Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) goals and offers a space where policymakers, scientists, youth leaders and local actors share strategies, challenges and successes.Why it mattersOnce seen as sporadic disasters, droughts are becoming a chronic threat. Since 2000, their frequency and intensity have risen by 29 per cent — and by 2050, three out of four people could face their impacts.Yet solutions often remain locked in silos, out of reach for those on the front lines. The CLP breaks those silos by enabling real-time collaboration and cross-regional exchange.Masuku emphasized the importance of reaching all decision-makers:“Knowledge is power. A platform for sharing information is a powerful tool — especially when it reaches those who might otherwise be left out. With the right knowledge, you can make the right decisions.”A living knowledge networkBuilding on earlier regional knowledge-sharing efforts, the CLP has grown rapidly since its launch in late 2024, bringing together over 300 members from across sectors and regions.It has held regional workshops and case clinics tackling both technical and policy challenges. Five global online exchanges have drawn 687 participants worldwide.The platform has published more than 300 multilingual resources — ranging from technical guides to policy briefs — and sparked new partnerships, helping countries co-create tools and strategies.The network is also turning the UNCCD Drought Toolbox into a dynamic, user-driven resource, shaped by field realities and continuous feedback.Voices of changeThe platform isn’t just for governments and experts. It’s opening doors for the next generation of land and climate leaders. Juliet Grace Luwedde, Global Coordinator of the UNCCD Youth Caucus, sees the CLP as an inclusive gateway:“It’s a great place for young people to start learning and connecting — people who can answer their questions and help them grow. No question is too small. It’s also a fantastic resource for young negotiators to build confidence and find their voice.”Tools that drive actionOne of the CLP’s most powerful features is its close link to the Drought Toolbox — a suite of tools for assessing risk, monitoring drought and designing early warning systems.Through the platform, these tools are made more user-friendly and widely accessible. Interactive offerings — from expert clinics and regional competitions to self-paced learning — ensure these tools lead to action, not just information.Looking aheadAs climate stress intensifies, the need for coordinated drought management is growing rapidly. The CLP is expanding to include more countries — particularly in drought-prone regions like the Sahel and the Horn of Africa — while adapting its tools to fit national priorities.Rooted in the spirit of the Changwon Initiative, the CLP fosters innovation, strengthens partnerships andscales solutions that bridge local realities with global goals. Continued collaboration is helping position it as a vital global hub — connecting knowledge, building capacity anddriving action where it’s needed most. A movement rooted in practiceThis is more than a platform. It’s a movement — one that turns collective knowledge into shared resilience. At its core is a simple but powerful idea: investing in people, not just policies, is what ensures no voice is left behind.Sustained support through the Changwon Initiative has helped make that idea real — enabling communities once excluded from critical discussions to take the lead. Today, they are not just included — they are equipped, connected and shaping global solutions from the center.Photo: © ILRI/Stevie Mann

In Kyrgyzstan, where steep mountains and deep valleys define both the landscape and daily life, land degradation and drought are no longer distant threats — they’re reshaping everyday reality. These slow-onset crises erode not just soil and biodiversity, but the livelihoods and resilience of rural communities whose well-being depends on healthy land.Today, nearly 1.9 million people — or 35.5 per cent of the population — are directly exposed to land degradation. In 2019 alone, 1.83 million hectares of land were classified as degraded, accounting for nearly one-tenth of Kyrgyzstan’s total land area.While many countries face similar threats, Kyrgyzstan’s high-altitude terrain and dependence on pastoralism make it particularly vulnerable. In recent years, climate variability has intensified pressure on natural resources, disrupting crop yields, altering grazing patterns and straining water supplies across rural areas.Between 2018 and 2021, the Greening Drylands Partnership (GDP) launched a major effort to restore Kyrgyzstan’s fragile landscapes. It aimed to breathe new life into degraded ecosystems, protect biodiversity and help communities adapt to a changing climate. But with mounting deforestation, shrinking grasslands and escalating climate impacts, the challenge proved anything but simple.The Changwon Initiative: A driving force for land restorationThe Changwon Initiative — a flagship programme of the Korea Forest Service and the UNCCD — helped turn restoration from vision to reality. It became a regional catalyst for action, supporting land restoration not only in Kyrgyzstan, but also across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, including Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Belarus, Armenia and Mongolia.In Kyrgyzstan, the Changwon Initiative aligned restoration efforts with national environmental goals and long-term sustainability. It ensured that recovery initiatives were not isolated projects, but part of a broader, coordinated vision for change. By bringing together governments, non-governmental organizations and international partners, it laid the groundwork for meaningful, lasting action on the ground.Planting the seeds of changeFrom 2019 to 2022, one of the most impactful efforts under this partnership was a community-focused reforestation project supporting rural and forestry nurseries. The aim was both simple and ambitious: to plant trees, raise awareness and build skills that would last well beyond the project’s end.Four nurseries were established in the Chui and Talas regions, covering a total of eight hectares. They became home to a range of fruit and ornamental trees — not just to green the land, but to promote sustainable farming and land use.Farmers and forestry workers received practical training in nursery management, pest control and pruning — blending scientific techniques with local traditions.The project didn’t stop with adults. Twenty-four school-based nurseries were also created, inviting the next generation to become caretakers of the land. Young people across Kyrgyzstan engaged directly with their environment, taking part in reforestation — one sapling at a time.To expand impact beyond the project sites, a national UNCCD information center helped disseminate tools and insights across the country, while roundtables shaped new policy recommendations for sustainable land management.Tools for long-term restorationThe project went beyond planting trees. It provided communities with the tools to understand and protect their environment long after the initial phase ended. Risk assessment maps identified areas most vulnerable to land degradation. Restoration activities were aligned with national policies and embedded in the broader Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) framework.Most importantly, people were placed at the center — not just involved but empowered. From farmers to students, local communities became stewards of their own recovery.While these efforts planted the seeds of progress, scaling up to achieve nationwide transformation is the next frontier. Moving beyond pilot projects will require sustained investment, stronger institutions and continued commitment from both governments and civil society. Sharing lessons regionally — from Mongolia to Belarus — will be key to ensuring success beyond borders.In countries like Belarus, restoration projects are already entering their second phase. Kyrgyzstan now stands ready to do the same — the foundation is solid, the knowledge is growing and community engagement is real. What’s needed next is a renewed investment in people, supportive policies and the natural systems that sustain life.A growing legacyWith support from the Changwon Initiative, Kyrgyzstan has taken meaningful steps toward restoring its land — and its future. Skills have been strengthened, forests are returning and a new understanding is taking root: land restoration is not only possible, but essential.Through strong partnerships and a shared commitment, Kyrgyzstan is proving that degraded land can recover — and that when the land heals, so do the communities that depend on it. Healthier ecosystems, more resilient livelihoods and a renewed bond between people and nature — this isn’t just an ideal. It’s a future already beginning to take shape.

数百年间，人类生活始终与土地和水息息相关——牧民依赖牧场，农民仰仗河流滋养田地。这些自然景观塑造了世界各地的文化、生计与传统。 然而当今，人为压力——气候变化、土地退化和干旱——正以惊人速度摧毁人类数百年心血。全球高达40%的土地遭受退化，威胁近半数人口。仅干旱就已影响全球超过18亿人口，使水资源系统承受前所未有的压力。这些压力不仅威胁着生态系统和生物多样性，更危及粮食安全、水资源供应和气候稳定。 在罗马举行的2025年世界粮食论坛（10月10日至17日）上，《联合国防治荒漠化公约》（UNCCD）与联合国粮食及农业组织（FAO）共同参与了两场对话，传递出明确信息：健康的土地与可持续的水资源管理必须相辅相成。关于原住民与牧场的联合会议强调了土地权利及这些生态系统的文化价值。在FAO主导的2025罗马水资源对话会上，社区代表分享了如何通过修复土壤、保护水源保障农作物收成，并帮助家庭应对气候变化。 论坛期间，FAO与UNCCD续签了合作伙伴关系，以加强在可持续土地、土壤和水资源管理领域的协作。 10月15日由FAO总干事屈冬玉博士与UNCCD执行秘书雅斯敏·福阿德博士签署的谅解备忘录确立了合作框架，双方将共同致力于避免、减少和逆转土地与土壤退化、增强抗旱韧性、以及促进土地恢复、农业食品系统转型与气候行动一体化解决方案。 该伙伴关系将通过《FAO-UNCCD联合行动计划》实施，该计划调动两家机构网络的专业知识，并与FAO及UNCCD的优先任务保持一致。行动计划聚焦三大核心领域：支持政策对话与能力建设以应对土地退化、增强抗旱韧性、以及推动数据驱动方法与知识共享。  世界草原的守护者 草原覆盖了地球表面的一半以上，孕育着全球三分之一的生物多样性热点地区。它们为五十亿人提供生计，储存着近三分之一的陆地碳，对气候稳定和文化遗产都至关重要。然而不可持续的经营方式和气候变化正将许多草原生态系统推向危险临界点。 对依赖牧场生存的人们而言，这种危机已成日常。牧民为寻找草场跋涉更远距离，世代相传的祖先智慧正面临威胁。妇女往往最先感受到这些影响——她们需要走更远的路运水搬柴，用微薄的收成勉强养活孩子。 但正是这些社区率先探索解决方案。妇女们正在恢复土壤肥力，保护种子资源。原住民正守护着传统治理体系与祖传智慧。地方社区竭力维系家庭生计。青年一代以创新精神连接传统与科技。他们的守护实践证明：恢复草场不仅可行，更能为所有人创造丰厚回报。 “保护原住民土地非但不是可选项，更是关乎生存、尊严与正义的命题，”UNCCD执行秘书雅斯敏·福阿德强调。“原住民和牧民是我们全球行动中不可或缺的伙伴。” 在利雅得举行的UNCCD第十六届缔约方会议（COP16）上，各国通过了首个关于牧场和牧民的全球决议，并成立了原住民核心小组。罗马会议的与会者呼吁加强土地权利保障，承认传统治理模式，并让原住民社区充分参与政策制定。与会者强调，恢复牧场不仅关乎生计保护，更涉及碳吸收、增强社区抵御气候冲击的能力以及维护生物多样性。  水作为文化、记忆与生存之源 2025年罗马水对话——联合国粮农组织关于水与农业的旗舰论坛——呼应了这一紧迫性。如今干旱发生频率较2000年高出三分之一，每年已造成全球经济跨领域损失逾3000亿美元。土地退化和干旱每年造成近9000亿美元损失。若当前趋势持续，到2050年全球四分之三人口可能面临干旱威胁。 但水不仅是经济资产，更是文化、记忆与生存的载体。当河流干涸、三角洲盐渍化，社区失去的不仅是作物，还有与之相连的故事、歌谣和生活方式。健康的土地和水系滋养家庭、调节气候、守护生物多样性。守护水土即守护生计，亦是捍卫地球维系生命的能力。 在本次对话会上，FAO、UNCCD及80余家合作伙伴展示了过去数十年的解决方案——从灌溉与降低灾害风险，到再生农业、湿地修复与可持续放牧。实证表明，每投入1美元即可在生计保障、气候韧性、粮食安全及生态系统领域获得7至30美元的回报。 “水是生命之源，更是土地、粮食与和平的基石，”UNCCD执行秘书雅斯敏·福阿德强调，“如果水系缺乏韧性，粮食系统难以持久，而健康土地则是水系韧性的根基。”  罗马发出的讯息 两场对话闭幕之际，土地与水资源的议题交织成核心共识：危机无法孤立解决。恢复草场与保障水系如同一枚硬币的两面——对粮食、气候与和平至关重要。 正如UNCCD执行秘书雅斯敏·福阿德所总结的：“通过可持续管理水资源和草场保障粮食安全将一举两得。国际社会将在《联合国防治荒漠化公约》第十七届缔约方大会上共同行动。” 会议同时强调包容性至关重要。妇女、原住民和青年不仅是受影响最严重的群体，更是解决方案的先锋力量。从萨赫勒地区修复草场的牧民，到设计气候智能工具的青年创新者，再到守护种子与传统遗产的女性，他们的领导力正在重塑未来。 随着UNCCD第十七届缔约方会议即将在蒙古召开，以及“国际牧场与牧民年”的临近，罗马发出的讯息清晰明确：工具与知识皆已具备。当下所需的是将其推广的政治意愿——既要保护维系生命的自然系统，也要守护赋予其意义的文化传承。 

Across Mexico’s rural and indigenous communities, land is more than a resource – it is central to daily life, food production and cultural identity. Yet for many – especially women and indigenous peoples – secure access to land remains out of reach.Over 70 per cent of Mexico’s land is at risk of degradation. At the same time, women – who produce more than half of the country’s food – own less than 30 per cent of farmland. This growing gap between those who care for the land and those who control it threatens sustainable land use. Without secure land rights, many are excluded from decisions that shape their environment and future.To tackle these challenges, Mexico launched a series of national consultations on land tenure and Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). Designed to improve land governance systems, the consultations emphasized gender equality, indigenous rights and local perspectives as key pillars of the country’s LDN strategy.Held across several regions, they brought together 45 participants – 30 women and 15 men – including indigenous leaders from Chiapas, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Sonora and other states. Almost all of these leaders were women, who shared their experiences managing community lands and protecting ecosystems.The Changwon Initiative: Making inclusion possibleThe consultations were made possible in part by support from the Changwon Initiative – a programme of the Korea Forest Service and UNCCD – with additional backing from international partners. Funding through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) helped cover key logistical costs, ensuring rural and indigenous voices could be heard.This support ensured that traditionally excluded groups – especially indigenous women from ejidos (communal lands) – were not only present, but central to the dialogue. Many shared firsthand stories about barriers to land inheritance, being sidelined in local decision-making and the urgent need to revive degraded soil and ecosystems.“Women living in the countryside are becoming the protagonists of social, political and economic change,” said Dr. Maribel Méndez de Lara, Magistrate of the Superior Agrarian Court. “Land ownership gives women legal protection, autonomy to make decisions and the ability to fully participate in their communities.”From dialogue to actionThe consultations generated concrete proposals, including a Strategic National Programme to regularize land rights for women and indigenous communities, legal guarantees of female representation in ejido decision-making bodies and greater integration of sustainable practices into collective land systems.Participants – particularly rural and indigenous women – gained skills through leadership training, project planning workshops and awareness campaigns that emphasized their right to land and participation in land governance. Government officials and policymakers also benefited, gaining a better understanding of how to design more inclusive land governance systems that truly reflect community needs.“There are 13.6 million women living in rural areas in Mexico,” said Dr. Beatriz Casas Arellanes, Director of Social and Political Participation for Equality of the National Women's Institute (INMUJERES),. “Many of them are already leading community life and preserving biodiversity. What they need is recognition and access to rights.”Innovative tools and approachesThe consultations were guided by a participatory approach developed under the UNCCD–FAO Joint Initiative and based on the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT). Adapted to Mexico’s social and political context, this method ensured that rural leaders, women, government officials and international experts all had a voice.Gender-sensitive tools were used not just to include women, but to ensure their perspectives shaped the outcome.The Dialogue opened with a ceremonial offering called a Tlalmanalli, led by indigenous grandmothers. Made of flowers, seeds and traditional medicines, it served as a reminder that the Earth is alive – and its care, a shared responsibility.Participants also shared inspiring examples already underway, such as mobile legal clinics helping women resolve land disputes and forestry programmes advancing gender equality – small but meaningful signs of change.Lessons learned and the path forwardOne of the key lessons from the consultations is that long-term progress on land tenure requires consistent effort, strong coordination and engagement at all levels. Local and regional consultations – alongside national ones – proved essential for identifying the diverse challenges communities face across the country.Just as important was the finding that inclusive participation leads to better, more grounded solutions. When women, indigenous leaders and local actors are part of the process, outcomes are more relevant – and more likely to last.While the broader policy impact is still unfolding, the consultations helped establish a foundation for more inclusive land governance in Mexico. These conversations laid the groundwork for future strategies and reforms that reflect the realities of those who live and work on the land.Shaping the future of land rights and restorationThe Changwon Initiative played a pivotal role in making these consultations possible – not only by providing funding, but by championing inclusion as a core principle of land restoration. Its support helped ensure that rural and indigenous voices, especially those of women, were not just heard but helped shape the conversation.By backing this process, the Changwon Initiative demonstrated how targeted international cooperation can drive national progress – setting a global example for integrating land tenure security into LDN strategies.Thanks to this support, communities across Mexico now have stronger tools – and a stronger voice – to secure their land, protect their environment and build a more sustainable and inclusive future.