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| Dear John Smith, |
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A major factor in mobilizing sustained political interest and financial resources for sustainable land management (SLM) is the availability of compelling, factual information on the scope and impact of relevant investments.
Few measures benefiting SLM are designed exclusively with the aim of combating desertification. Many target thematic or sectoral issues not explicitly linked to the objectives of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) or to the priorities of its National and Sub/Regional Action Programmes.
The Global Mechanism (GM), in collaboration with its partners, has developed a portfolio review methodology which is casting new light on the value and impact of SLM investments, whilst expanding the scope for future investments. This methodology is both comprehensive and innovative in that it provides the tools and mechanisms for identifying all relevant investments contributing to SLM, and for quantifying their value by demonstrating the cross-cutting development benefits they yield.
The reviews are instrumental in assessing the contribution SLM investments make to overarching development policies and strategies, and to national and regional goals and priorities related to the issues of land degradation, desertification and poverty.
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| Major multilateral financial institutions taking the lead… |
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The first review covered a portfolio of approximately 900 loans and grants approved by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The review determined that between 1999 and 2005, IFAD had invested approximately USD 2 billion in programmes and projects supporting UNCCD objectives, leveraging an additional USD 2 billion in co-financing.
The innovative analytical approach used for this review has stimulated a dynamic debate and interest by other organizations. With co-financing from TerrAfrica, the methodology has been improved and expanded to analyze incentives and barriers to effective SLM investments.
Under the framework of TerrAfrica, two parallel reviews are currently being carried out by the GM in collaboration with CAB International (CABI) to assess the SLM investment portfolio of the World Bank (WB) and African Development Bank (AfDB) in the Africa region and identify opportunities for scaling up SLM investments. The analysis also focuses on the transboundary dimensions of SLM, pinpointing potential synergies in the region. A report illustrating the preliminary findings of this joint endeavour will be released by the end of 2008. |
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| …towards maximizing the impact of SLM investments at country level |
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It is hoped that this work will pave the way for a more systematic monitoring and evaluation of SLM investments by countries and their development partners, for example through enhanced SLM investment reviews. This would facilitate reporting at country level on implementation of the UNCCD and the Ten-Year Strategic Plan to enhance its implementation.
SLM portfolio and investment reviews could also contribute to the work that the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (DAC/OECD) and Multilateral Financial Institutions are undertaking to promote, support, and monitor progress in the implementation of harmonization and alignment activities, as outlined in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. |
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Best regards,
The Global Mechanism Team |
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