AfrioCAT To Boost Sustainable Land Management in Africa: AUDA-NEPAD Programme Officer for Climate Change

Addis Ababa, October 21, 2025 (ENA) - The launch of the AfrioCAT network in Addis Ababa is expected to assist the fight against land degradation and food insecurity in the continent, AUDA-NEPAD Programme Officer for Climate Change said.

This was made public during an inaugural workshop convened in Addis Ababa today co-hosted by AUDA-NEPAD and the Water and Land Resource Centre of African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and other key partners, and the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT).

AfrioCAT will serve as the official WOCAT Regional Cluster for Africa, is expected to significantly boost regional efforts in Sustainable Land Management (SLM) and Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).

Edna Chidule Kalima, Programme Officer for Climate Change within the AUDA-NEPAD Directorate of Agriculture, Food Security, and Environmental Sustainability, underscored the critical role of AfrioCAT.

AfrioCAT would focus on sustainable land management approaches and technologies--instrumental to supporting ongoing work with diverse stakeholders and partners, she affirmed.

This collaborative effort is essential for Africa to attain food security and resilience while actively preventing further land degradation across the continent.

The Programme Officer added that AUDA-NEPAD’s programmes and projects are designed to ensure that African states achieve self-reliance and food security, citing the success of restoring over 100 million hectares of land in various African nations, including Ethiopia, Gabon, Malawi, Rwanda, and Niger, representing five regional economic communities.

The work also includes an emphasis on soil fertility and health, contributing to the overall goal that Africa feeds itself and enhances the livelihoods of its people.

AfrioCAT's creation is a key strategic step in making Africa’s voice on land matters more prominent on the global stage, it was learnt.

Nicole Harari, a research scientist from the WOCAT executive team, noted that the inaugural workshop in Addis Ababa, co-hosted by AUDA-NEPAD and the Water and Land Resource Centre (WLRC), brought together practitioners, researchers, and government officials.

The main objective, she pointed out, is to strategize and formally structure this new network to improve and promote sustainable land management.

According to her, AfrioCAT is designed to enhance regional impact, foster South-South knowledge sharing, build local leadership, and integrate SLM and LDN into regional strategies by leveraging WOCAT's global knowledge and tools.

Key functions include offering capacity building on WOCAT’s methodologies and promoting the exchange of best practices among African countries and local communities, she said.

Gete Zeleke, Director of the Water & Land Resource Centre (WLRC), called for the establishment of AfrioCAT a "long overdue action."

In the past, he highlighted a global platform was lacking to share useful conservation approaches and technologies, leading to the proposal for the WOCAT network.

Gete stressed that Africa is the continent where different forms of land degradation are most severely affecting ecosystems and the livelihoods of millions.

It was also learnt that the launch event was expected to allow participants to gain a comprehensive understanding of SLM practices, learn from diverse African experiences, and establish a robust network.