The first regional workshop on PRAIS reporting takes place in Türkiye

Antalya, Türkiye – 15 March, 2018 – 62 experts from 22 countries of Northern Mediterranean, Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia attended the first regional training workshop on the new UNCCD reporting process. Participants included UNCCD national focal points, representatives of the National Statistic Offices, as well as GIS and land management experts.

The series of five training workshops on PRAIS reporting is an important capacity-building initiative funded by UNEP/GEF Global Support Programme. The training in Antalya was organized in close collaboration with the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs of Türkiye, the Directorate of Combating Desertification and Erosion Control, and the FAO sub-regional office. 

Participants were introduced to the new reporting requirements, including bio-physical progress indicators and linkages to the SDGs reporting. Due to its highly technical nature, the new UNCCD reporting process presents new challenges, creating the need to enhance the national capacity to generate, analyze, interpret and use Earth observation data. During the training, country teams received a chance to familiarize themselves with the default data available through the UNCCD secretariat to facilitate reporting and enhance harmonization and comparability among reporting countries.

Attendees have also explored the option to use additional national data sources as a way to strengthen national ownership of the reporting process and increase the capacity for data production and use at the country level. As part of the training, representatives of Conservation International demonstrated technical tools that help explore, analyze and integrate geo-spatial data to derive estimates of the proportion of degraded land. The training also provided an opportunity for the UNCCD country parties to learn from each other and share national experiences in land monitoring. 

The workshop in Türkiye will be followed by regional trainings in Ethiopia (19 – 22 March), Brazil (9 – 12 April), India (24 – 27 April), and Egypt (6 – 9 May).

Read more:

• 2017-2018 reporting process
• Online reporting tutorials