The HowtoLDN Series features the efforts of intersectoral country teams to implement their roadmaps towards Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). These country teams are supported by the GEO-LDN Flagship since our Global Dialogue Forum 2023 in South Africa. Today we highlight our youngest Team in Georgia:
Background
6.63% of Georgia’s landmass are degraded and the country faces significant challenges in monitoring the progress towards LDN due to the lack of reliable datasets to map land degradation and its sub-indicators. A recent workshop brought together intersectoral teams and experts to explore alternative datasets and identify relevant degradation hotspots for verification, paving the way for a comprehensive approach to LDN.
The country team in Georgia is dedicated to strengthening the country’s commitment to Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) through the enhancement of Land Productivity Dynamics (LPD) and sustainable land management practices. Their focus is on improving national LDN estimations using a participatory and data-driven approach that involves multiple stakeholders. Team Georgia has joined the flagship recently but is already providing excellent work and will join the other GEO-LDN teams at the COP in December.
Discover how Georgia utilizes geospatial data for its LDN journey
Team Georgia employs Earth Observation tools to monitor land productivity and assess land degradation across various regions. By collaborating with GEO LDN, Georgia has initiated the development of an LPD Comparison App, enabling experts to compare different algorithms and datasets for accurate assessment of land degradation and restoration areas.
This use case exemplifies the importance of #monitoring and #stakeholdermapping in implementing effective, inclusive measures for sustainable land management and adaptation strategies.
Discover Team Georgias case study
The case study represents pastureland inventory/restoration measures implemented during 2023 and June 2024 in the Ganakhleba pilot site, which covers 269 ha area or approximately 36% of the 747ha targeted for restoration envisaged by the “Achieving Land Degradation Neutrality Targets of Georgia through Restoration and Sustainable Management of Degraded Pasturelands” Project, which is financed the Global Environmental Facility (GEF). United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is the Implementing Agency of the Project, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia (MEPA) is the Project Beneficiary and the Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus (RECC) performs functions of the Project Executive Agency.
Get to know the roadmap from Team Georgia
On their journey to achieving LDN, the Georgia country team is actively revising its National LDN Targets, aligning them with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 15.3. This involves integrating LDN principles into national development strategies and policies, with a focus on restoring degraded lands and improving forest management.
In preparation for future initiatives, Team Georgia has compiled a dataset of degradation hotspots, calculated various LPD maps, and is assessing their effectiveness in detecting degradation in key areas. This comprehensive approach will enhance decision-making and foster partnerships that support sustainable land management practices.
How the GEO-LDN Flagship supports Team Georgia
The primary role of the GEO-LDN flagship is to facilitate access to geospatial data that can support Georgia’s efforts in risk analysis and monitoring of land degradation. This collaboration aims to strengthen national policies and frameworks, ensuring that the most up-to-date information and technologies are integrated into Georgia's sustainable land management practices.
✅ Looking for support to drive LDN forward in your country? Contact us at: info@geo-ldn.org