Share your proven solutions. Help shape a global knowledge base for sustainable land management. Submit your good practice case study by 31 March 2026.
Background
FAO estimates that 1.66 billion hectares of land are degraded due to human impacts, with over 60% occurring on agricultural land. Given that 95% of food production relies on healthy soil and land, it is urgent to restore these areas and adopt sustainable management practices.
Grasslands, pasturelands, and rangelands cover about 54% of the Earth's land surface, providing critical services such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and livelihoods for millions. However, these ecosystems are increasingly threatened; for instance, 13% of grasslands are degraded, and 34% show reduced function due to pressures like overgrazing, leading to soil erosion and diminished productivity.
In response, and to support the implementation of UNCCD COP16 Decision 19 (on avoiding, reducing and reversing land and soil degradation of agricultural lands), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme-International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP), hosted by the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), agreed to jointly develop a Global Report on Good Practices in Sustainable Management and Restoration of Agricultural Lands and Soils. This report aims to showcase proven solutions to restore soil health and enhance resilience of agrifood systems.
The Report will be structured as two complementary, stand-alone volumes, each focusing on a major land use system. We are now inviting submissions for Volume I, focusing specifically on Rangelands, Pasturelands, and Grasslands, to build a vital resource for scaling up effective action worldwide. The Global Report (Volume I) is expected to be showcased at major global events, e.g. UNCCD COP17 (Mongolia, August 2026) and other events and processes as appropriate.
This work contributes to the implementation of countries land degradation neutrality targets under the UNCCD, the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) Action Framework (2022-2030), the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) 2026, the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 (IYWF), FAO Strategic Framework (2022-2031) and its four betters – better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, FAO Conceptual Framework for Integrated Land and Water Resources Management and UNEP’s Medium-Term Strategy 2026-2029 (which includes land degradation neutrality).
Call for Submissions
We are looking for impactful good practice case studies that demonstrate successful approaches to managing and restoring these vital ecosystems. A "Good Practice" is defined as a field-tested approach applied in a specific geographical area that has delivered measurable benefits over at least three years. We strongly encourage submissions from all stakeholders, including government agencies, research institutions, non-governmental organizations, pastoralist and farmer organizations, and Indigenous groups.
To be considered, the submitted case must satisfy all six mandatory selection criteria:
- Geographically Defined: Implemented in a clearly identified area.
- Applies Restoration Principles: Aligns with the core principles of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
- Delivers Measurable Benefits: Provides clear evidence of positive land degradation neutrality outcomes, e.g. resilience, ecosystem health, food security, productivity, gender equality, economic viability, livelihoods, cultural value.
- Proven and Scalable: Demonstrates documented success and potential for scaling up or adaptation.
- Creates Synergies: Contributes to the goals of at least two of the three Rio Conventions (UNCCD, CBD, UNFCCC).
How to Submit
Please prepare your case study in English using the official Case Study Template, which guides you to provide the necessary evidence against the above criteria. The template is available here.
- Submission Deadline: 31 March 2026
- Submission Email: Send your completed template and supporting materials (if any) to info@unep-iemp.org.
Review and Selection Process
All submissions will undergo a transparent, two-stage review (eligibility check & detailed scoring) by a multidisciplinary Expert Review Panel. The panel will assess cases based on the criteria and select at least the ten highest-ranking cases that represent a diversity of regions, ecosystems, and approaches for inclusion in the Report.
For More Information
For any questions regarding this call for submissions, the selection criteria, or the case study template, please contact:
- FAO: Dr Rakotondramanga Soalandy (Soalandy.Rakotondramanga@fao.org)
- UNEP-IEMP: Ms Tatirose Vijitpan (tatirose.vijitpan@outlook.com).
