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Catalysing Investments and Actions to Enhance Resilience Against Sand and Dust Storms in Agriculture - TCP/INT/3802

Year of publication 2024

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 8

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Project

Synopsis (short abstract) Sand and dust storms (SDS) have become increasingly frequent and severe due to factors such as land use changes and climate variability and change. These storms have substantial transboundary impacts, affecting various aspects of the environment, climate, health, agriculture, livelihoods and the socioeconomic well-being of individuals. These effects are particularly pronounced in arid and semi-arid regions where sand and dust storms (SDS) can pose significant threats to economic development. The agriculture sector is significantly influenced by SDS, as it is both a contributor to and impacted by the phenomenon. In response, during the Fourteenth Session of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 2019, a new imperative for addressing SDS was established. As a key member of the newly formed Coalition on Combating SDS, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has taken the role of chairing the Coalition since July 2020, succeeding the United Nations Environment Progamme (UNEP), to lead global efforts to tackle SDS within the agricultural context. Against this backdrop, this project aimed to enhance the resilience of agriculture-dependent communities to SDS. Furthermore, the project focused on increasing and strengthening knowledge surrounding SDS sources and their implications on agriculture, as well as promoting sustainable land use practices, primarily focusing on countries that are both major contributors to and victims of dust emissions, including Algeria, China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Mongolia. These countries, located within the SDS "risk belt” (also known as the “dust belt”), face potential threats to sustainable development and food security without immediate action. The project's outcomes contributed to the design of a broader interregional large SDS programme on agriculture with targeted funding sources, supported by the United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms and potential partners, such as the Green Climate Fund and the Global Environment Facility.

Language English

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