Global Database on Sustainable Land Management

The data from the WOCAT Questionnaires is included in the Global SLM Database, which is the primary recommended database by UNCCD for the reporting on best SLM practices. The Global SLM Database is available in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Lao and Khmer.

The compiler collects the data in the field and fills out the Questionnaire(s), the editor helps to edit the data, the reviewer assures the quality of the data and, eventually, the WOCAT Secretariat publishes the data. 

For quality assurance of the data, the review process will take some time. Make sure that you allow sufficient time for the review from the time you enter the data until it can get published.

At the local level, SLM practices (SLM Technologies and Approaches) are documented in the field using the WOCAT Questionnaires on SLM Technologies and Approaches. After completing the questionnaire, the data is included in the Global SLM Database.

Once the SLM Technology or Approach data is entered in the Global WOCAT SLM Database, reviewed and published it can be downloaded as a user-friendly summary, available in Pdf format, or viewed as html.

Specific modules can be added to the WOCAT questionnaires on SLM Technologies and Approaches to gain further in-depth knowledge on a particular topic, depending on the user’s interests and needs.

Two modules are available: Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Carbon Benefit Project (CBP). For the third module, the Gender-responsive SLM module, the questionnaire readily available, the related data entry in the Global SLM Database will be coming soon.

The land degradation and SLM Mapping questionnaire (QM) provides a tool for assessing the spatial coverage of land degradation and SLM at the regional/ national level. It has been developed in collaboration with the FAO/ LADA project. A related Database (not yet included in the Global SLM Database of WOCAT) is available, where the data can be entered.

A watershed and runoff questionnaire and related app (QWM offline) is under development. It is a supplement to the existing WOCAT questionnaires and helps to assess land management within a watershed and its impacts on ecosystem services (mainly runoff).

The Carbon Benefits Project (CBP) provides tools for agriculture, forestry and land management projects to estimate the impact of their activities on climate change mitigation (carbon stock changes and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions). The tools are free to use and user friendly. The CBP modeling tools were developed by Colorado State University and partners under a Global Environment Facility co-financed project implemented by the United Nations Environment Program. 

Data captured through the WOCAT questionnaires is entered in the Global SLM Database by the compiler who is responsible for the compilation and the data quality. The compiler, resource persons, editors and reviewers are mentioned in the database as well as in any compilation or publication of the data.