We are pleased to announce to all interested institutions and experts that the call for abstracts and registration is open for the WOCAT Symposium 2019. The WOCAT Symposium will be hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture of Ethiopia and will be held on Monday 13 May to Tuesday 14 May 2019 in Ethiopia.

The World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD) is observed every year on 17 June to promote public awareness of international efforts to combat desertification. Many countries, groups and individuals celebrate and observe WDCD by organizing a variety of outreach activities and awareness raising events.

The four-day Forum is hosted by DS SLM Thailand and is organized jointly by FAO, Land Development Department (LDD), Soil and Fertilizer Society of Thailand (SFST) and the Kasetsart University. The Forum will be held during the Annual Kasetsart University Agricultural Fair to also allow participants to witness a range of agricultural SLM approaches and technologies implemented in Thailand.

Join WOCAT at several events: 1st April side event on decision support for SLM with FAO and participation of DS-SLM project partners and the launch of the e-learning course on SLM with CIHEAM and FAO. 2nd April regional initiative to combat land degradation in the Mediterranean with FAO.

CDE researcher Johanna Jacobi has provided a WOCAT training to local stakeholders on good land management in Dipilto, Nicaragua, in cooperation with GOPA and SDC Nicaragua.

The Global SLM Database is now available in Chinese and Thai. Our thanks for the Chinese translation go to Mr. Sun Guoji, Director General of Department of Combating Desertification, National Forestry and Grassland Administration; and for the Thai translation to Dr. Bunjirtluk Jintaridth and Mr. Kamchai Kanjanatanaseth, Land Development Department (LDD), Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand; Dr. Pitayakon Limtong, Soil and Fertilizer Society of Thailand.