It is LADA a Complex Excercise?
The complexity of this PDF-B phase is considered normal, although the full project's complexity will be rated high, given the holistic approach needed, incorporating many biophysical parameters and socio-economic issues at different scales.

What is the origin of the LADA project proposal/idea?
The original request for Land Degradation Assessment came from Parties to Convention To Combat Desertification. A workshop was organized on the issue of land degradation in drylands , funded by UNEP-GEF and the Global Mechanism of the Convention to Combat Desertification.

What are the government programmes and activities to be supported by the project?
Agreed methodologies and capacity building for Land degradation assessments will be supported drawing on countries experiences and will be tested in three countries. Regional workshops and e-mail conferences will support similar programmes in more countries.

What are the expected results (main outputs and outcome)?
- Establishment of an international steering committee on land degradation assessment.
- Comprehensive review of land degradation indicators and assessment methods
- Testing of a number of approaches in different ecological conditions.
- Training of a number of national researchers, technicians and decision makers.
- Formulation of a full LADA project document

Who are the immediate and final beneficiaries, and what are their respective benefits?
Immediate beneficaries will be international and national organizations concerned with assessing land degradation and its effects, who will profit from the identicators identified and the assessment methods agreed upon. Ultimate beneficaries would be the populations affected by the negative effects of land degradation as more efficient remedial measures combatting land degradation and their causes will be identified.

What are the important risk factors and/or assumptions in ensuring project expected results?
A relatively large part of the budget will need to come from outside the core source of GEF. However there has been comitments from other institutions/donors(UNEP,GM,ISRIC, CDE,...) to the tune of 675 000US$ in kind.

What measures/activities are built into the project to ensure sustainability of results after completion of the project?
The formulation of a full LADA project document is one of the major objectives of this project. The project is very much based on participatory approaches and national execution which enhances its chances of sustainability.

To which FAO normative activity does the project relate?
Provide programme entity number and title and lead technical unit. Describe how the project will contribute to synergy between normative and operational activities.
211 A223, 211P7 722. The former normative project is concerned with land use policies while the latter normative project concerns the development of national databases and assessment methodologies on ao land degradation. Ongoing activities in both are to complement project outputs.

How will the project contribute to improvement in the food security of the least privileged population groups?
Drylands are part of the most fragile ecosystems of the globe where a significant number of food insecure population are concentrated. Therefore project results will benefit specifically countries which have a considerable number of least priveleged population.

How is the project related to planned or ongoing SPFS activities? In what ways are the basic concepts and approach of the SPFS built into the project?
In this stage the project has few direct links to SPFS. They may be further developed during the full LADA project.

In what way will the project contribute to the strengthening of the rural communities' capacity for self-reliant development?
The degradation assessment in the project is directly linked to remidial mesuares and rehabilitation techniques including indigenous techniques. Rural community will benefit directly and indirectly from this assessment.

How will the project contribute to capacity building (personnel and institutional)?
Direct assistance will be given to three countries (training and implementation of methodologies), while regional workshops will also assist capapcity building in countries in the region.

Will the project create new capacities that will require sustained current cost? And if so, what are the arrangements at national level to sustain these incremental recurrent costs?
Land degradation assessment and monitoring require recurrent visits to the pilot sites, which in turn involve costs. However these activities should be consoidered part of appropriate practices to be undertaken by all national institutes concerned with land conservation and development.


How will the project relate to other FAO projects/activities under implementation in the country and what value will the project add to these projects/activities?
In the three countries selected for the pilot studies, normative activities related to land use inventories will be (or have already) started. Additionally the new methodologies for land degradation assessment integrating bio-physical and socio-economic attributes, should add value to ongoing assessment methods by national and international institutions.

How does the project influence the role and/or status of both rural women and men, especially those among the disadvantaged? Does the project design include any gender-related special measures and components?
Land degradation affects directly the productive capapcity and environmental health of the land which for the most fragile part of the population is vital for their survival. Rural women will have a strong contribution to make in providing data and indeginous knowledge of land degradation and its remiedial measures.

What measures are included in the project design to ensure sustainability of the project's results?
Considerably attention is paid to institutional and socio economic aspects and to carry out studies in a participatory way. This should have a positive impact on the sustainability of the project's results in terms of ownership.

How will the project contribute to the promotion of partnerships/alliances and participation?
This is very much an undertaking in which a number of development agencies have expressed great interest and support. Notably UNEP, UNCCD, GM, WHO, IFAD, ISRIC and IFPRI.

Does LADA Promote Gender Equality and Equity?
The participation of Women in the international Steering Committee will be ensured and women techniciens and farmers will participate in the collection of indegenous knowledge and assessment methods