FAO reinforces Kenya’s capacity to observe SDG 15
Experts from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) participated in a training session led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on the computation and reporting of Sustainable Development Goal Indicator 15.4.2 – Mountain Green Cover Index and Proportion of Degraded Mountain Land.
This virtual exercise was facilitated by FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) as the first of a series of workshops scheduled in 2025 to build national capacities to use computation tools in compliance with the SDGs. Through a combination of theoretical sessions and hands-on exercises, the training offered a comprehensive overview of the relevant methodology, data sources and reporting requirements.
“As an official reporting agency for Indicator 15.4.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals, it is essential that experts of the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics are equipped with the necessary knowledge and technical skills to accurately collect, analyze and report on this indicator to maintain sustainable mountain ecosystems,”
Resources for enhanced reporting
FAO has developed multiple key tools to improve countries’ capacities to calculate and report on SDG 15.4.2:
- The FAO eLearning Academy course “Using land-cover information to monitor progress on Sustainable Development Goal 15” offers a core understanding of land-cover data and its use for internationally agreed goals. This free and self-paced course is now available in English, French and Spanish.
- SEPAL-SDG 15.4.2 is a cloud-based tool that enables the integration of custom land cover datasets and the use of built-in default datasets for SDG 15.4.2 computation. It is based on the System for Earth Observation Data Access, Processing and Analysis for Land Monitoring (SEPAL).
- QGIS-SDG 15.4.2 is a geospatial workflow based on the QGIS software that allows users to calculate SDG 15.4.2 data through the main desktop operating systems (Windows, Mac and Linux).
- The SDG 15.4.2 Computation Tools Documentation is a technical guide on the use of SDG Indicator 15.4.2 computation tools based on SEPAL and QGIS software.
Utilizing SEPAL-SDG 15.4.2, participants could produce key results such as Kenya’s mountain degradation outlook in 2018
Strengthening collaborative efforts
The workshop with KNBS highlighted the critical value of interagency collaboration to improve the consistency and comparability of reported findings for SDG indicators. Where there is a gap in national capacities to calculate and report on SDG 15.4.2, the guidelines and tools offered by FAO are instrumental to addressing this area of need.
For the development of a national reporting framework in collaboration with other partners involved in SDG 15.4.2 computation, FAO will continue to provide technical support as needed. The continued collaboration among national agencies in partnership for SDG 15.4.2 computation and technical capacity development are fundamental to improving mountain management.