Cooperation key for restoring degraded land, says The Restoration Initiative report
2 November 2021, Rome – Partnerships are key to advancing the restoration of the world’s degraded land, according to an annual report by The Restoration Initiative issued today.
The Global Environment Facility initiative brings together the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme and key in-country partners to restore degraded landscapes across ten countries in Africa and Asia.
The Restoration Initiative: 2020 year in review assesses progress made by the initiative and includes success stories and experiences from people working on the front lines of restoration.
“Land degradation is one of the defining challenges of our time. Global estimates suggest that nearly 2 billion hectares of agricultural land, pasture, forest and woodland are degraded,” said Tiina Vähänen, Deputy Director of FAO’s Forestry Division.
“The Restoration Initiative is demonstrating that by sharing knowledge and combining the strengths of its different partners, the restoration of whole landscapes is within reach.”
Progress at country level
Among the achievements highlighted are progress in Pakistan, where the programme is supporting efforts to strengthen local forest management and provide incentives to restore and protect threatened Chilgoza pine forests in the north of the country.
In Cameroon, the initiative has supported the enactment of new policy facilitating the establishment of sustainable plantations, and sale and transport of non-timber forest products. In addition, the project has helped establish eight nurseries to propagate fast-growing bamboo, as well as other species that produce a number of valuable products, including neem oil.
And in the archipelago of Sao Tome and Principe, the project is working to support development of microcredit schemes to enable investment in restoration for small-scale farmers who have historically lacked access to credit and other financial services.
The publication also showcases capacity development advancements including an online course on forest landscape restoration prepared in partnership with Yale University, a new tool providing assessments of threatened species to better inform restoration and conservation measures, and a new mentorship programme developed by UNEP’s Finance Initiative to support partners in developing restoration-based businesses and investment proposals.
Launched in 2019, The Restoration Initiative works to overcome existing barriers to restoration and to restore degraded landscapes, in support of the Bonn Challenge and to safeguard the well-being of people and nature.
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