What is WOCAT?
The World Overview of Conservation
Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) is a global Network that was established in 1992. The WOCAT Network launched
efforts to compile, document, evaluate, share, disseminate, and apply sustainable land management (SLM)
knowledge. It was far ahead
of others in recognizing the vital importance of SLM and the pressing need for
corresponding knowledge management. In early 2014, WOCAT’s growth and ongoing
improvement culminated in its being officially recognized by the UNCCD as the
primary recommended Global SLM Database for best practices. The work of WOCAT is guided by the WOCAT Strategy which is a product of experiences gathered in the WOCAT programme since
its launch.
WOCAT
played an essential role in moving away from a land degradation focus towards
SLM, defining SLM and its measures. The global relevance of WOCAT is shown by
the frequent use of its global SLM database, the WOCAT definitions, and the
standardized WOCAT methods and tools, by various institutions and initiatives. WOCAT
is widely used and referenced, so for example in the UNCCD Science-PolicyInterface (SPI) report on Sustainable Land Management contribution to successful land-based climate change adaptation and mitigation,
in the IPBES assessment report on land degradation and restoration, and in the EC JRC World Atlas of Desertification for which the part on solutions was
prepared in collaboration with WOCAT.
Why is it needed?
Poor land and water
management and a lack of appropriate governance and regulatory
frameworks to deal with increasing pressure on limited resources lead to degradation
of the land resources upon which rural communities and society as a whole
depend.
Without effective knowledge management and decision
support tools and processes, land resource management will remain ineffective,
all too often overlooking, ignoring, or only selectively applying valuable knowledge
and experience gained over the years in various regions.
