Global Programme on Mainstreaming of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

Project Description

Land degradation is an ecological problem that manifests itself not only at national and local levels by affecting the economic and social wellbeing of people, but also at a global level by undermining the integrity, functions and services of various ecosystems.

Countries that are party to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification have an obligation to prepare a National Action Programme (NAP) for the implementation of the provisions of the Convention. Nearly 200 countries have signed or ratified this Convention, demonstrating that the issues of land degradation transcend deserts and dry-lands and are of importance globally to a wide spectrum of countries.

The Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Development States (SIDS) due to capacity constraints and limited access to resources have not been able to adequately address critical barriers to realizing sustainable land management (SLM).  In these countries, land degradation issues are often not systemically and strategically mainstreamed into national development policies and strategies, such as PRSPs, National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSSD), and other national development frameworks in order to achieve the MDGs. As a result, government budgetary allocations for SLM have been weak, and policy recommendations relating to economic growth have often been in conflict with the goal of SLM.

To address this issue, GEF approved the LDC and SIDS Targeted Portfolio Approach for Capacity Development and Mainstreaming of Sustainable Land Management in September 2004 to assists LDCs and SIDS that at that time had not yet initiated their NAP elaboration to combat land degradation and desertification.  

In close consultation, cooperation and with the support from the UNCCD Secretariat, the goal of the project is to generate multiple global and local benefits through promoting SLM in LDCs and SIDS.   The project especially aims to develop individual, institutional and systemic capacities of its participating countries to mainstream SLM through a programmatic approach - given the similar needs and constraints faced by many LDCs and SIDS - to cost-effectively deliver a large number of relatively small projects to these countries with harmonized design and implementation support services. 

To this date, UNDP has successfully assisted a total of 44 LDCs and SIDS to access the GEF resources, and to begin implementing their MSPs.  There are 20 MSPs in Asia and the Pacific, and 12 MSPs are located in Africa, while the remaining MSPs are in the Caribbean.  These projects are also largely consistent with various regional frameworks such as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Barbados Plan of Action, and both Regional and Sub-regional Action Programmes of the  UNCCD.   

Project Funding

Each participating country has accessed US $ 500,000 on average from the GEF. The total GEF funding has amounted to approximately US $ 27 million.

GEF funding requires each country to leverage co-financing at a 1:1 ratio. Therefore, if a country were to access US $ 500,000 from GEF, it would require another US $ 500,000 from its internal budget or other sources in a form of cash or in-kind contribution.  On this basis,  a total of US$37 million has been leveraged so far as co-financing.