Holding back the desert

The event will focus on soil health as a key area for action across climate, desertification, and biodiversity agendas.

This session will showcase advancements in soil health monitoring from robust field survey designs, to innovations in laboratory methods including soil spectroscopy, as well as advancements in remote sensing to track the impact of land restoration interventions.

The session will contribute to the COP16 through providing an example of success as well as guidance to support governments, business and civil society to rapidly and efficiently scale up land restoration in Africa and beyond.

The side event will bring together senior government officials from the 16 LPA country partners in Asia, alongside senior African government officials, technical partners and supporters of LPA and AFR100 initiatives.

This session will highlight scientific advances, applications, and lessons learned for inclusivity and collaboration across soil health research and development, fundamental to land restoration. Specifically, we will highlight advancements in soil and land health monitoring and demonstrate how this evidence can inform investments and programs across the globe.

The side event aims to explore the critical role of drought management within the GEF’s strategic framework, focusing on the importance of proactive drought prevention and management by UNCCD Country Parties.

The event will highlight on-the-ground implementation and opportunities for evidence-based policy framework to contribute to food systems transformation and land restoration, from the soil up.

This side event will spotlight the vital role of soil health in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in the realms of land management, food security, and climate resilience. Africa’s soil degradation crisis presents significant obstacles to sustainable agriculture, economic stability, and environmental conservation.

This side event will explore the critical role of sustainable livestock management in restoring rangelands, improving soil health, and mitigating climate change.

In this event, speakers will uncover some of the key barriers for women and youth to access and manage land in their communities, and discuss strategies to overcome these challenges. 

The event will present concrete solutions that have been implemented on the ground, for example in the African context. The event will convene investors, policymakers, and practioners to explore concrete strategies that support farmers in their transition to sustainable land management and regenerative systems, thereby contributing to the overarching goals of the COP16.