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The main objective of this workshop was to share the key lessons learned from the Summit, analyze their relevance to the context of Cameroon’s Far North Region, and collaboratively develop a local roadmap aimed at strengthening the regions’ resilience to drought, land degradation, and the effects of climate change.

Les travaux se sont articulés autour de quatre principaux temps forts que sont ; le mot de bienvenue du Chef d’antenne SAILD-Maroua, la restitution synthétique du sommet, les travaux de groupes et l’élaboration d’une feuille de route locale.

Workshop Objective

The overall objective of the workshop was to lay the groundwork for translating the recommendations from the Désertif’actions 2026 summit into tailored local solutions, with the aim of strengthening the resilience of rural communities in the Far North Region of Cameroon in the face of drought and climate crises, while fostering cooperation among institutional, community, and civil society actors for the sustainable management of land and natural resources. Specifically, the workshop addressed the following topics:

• Share the key lessons and recommendations from the Désertif’actions 2026 Summit (Djerba, March 25–28, 2026);
• Identify the implications for the affected regions and communities;
• Develop a roadmap tailored to the local context;
• Strengthen stakeholder engagement (CSOs, local governments, institutions, youth, women, etc.).

Expected Results

The expected outcomes at the end of the workshop were as follows:

• The key takeaways and recommendations from the Désertif’actions 2026 Summit (Djerba, March 25–28, 2026) are shared;
• The implications for the affected regions and communities are identified;
• A roadmap tailored to the local context has been defined.
• Engagement with stakeholders (CSOs, local governments, institutions, young people, women, etc.) is being strengthened.

Results Obtained

The follow-up workshop for the 2026 Désertif’actions International Summit provided an opportunity to share with local stakeholders the key lessons learned from this major event on combating desertification and building regional resilience to drought.

In this context, the discussions reinforced the fact that challenges related to drought, land degradation, and natural resource management require localized, participatory, and sustainable responses. The working groups identified concrete courses of action in the areas of land restoration, local governance, conflict prevention, and mobilizing funding.

Furthermore, the approval of a local roadmap represents an important step toward building a regional framework capable of addressing the concerns of the people of the Far North while contributing to national and international efforts to combat desertification.

Finally, the participants reaffirmed their commitment to working together to translate the recommendations into concrete actions that will benefit local communities and future generations.

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A reference document

Co-organized by CARI, the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS), and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), in partnership with the Association for Citizenship and Sustainable Development (ACDD) and WWF North Africa, Désertif’actions 2026 brought together representatives of civil society, researchers, public and private institutions, local governments, and international organizations from every continent.

Over the course of three days, participants shared their experiences, compared their analyses, and collaboratively developed proposals to better anticipate, prevent, and manage the growing impacts of droughts.

What You’ll Find in the Report

The report provides an overview of all the Summit’s proceedings, including:

• plenary sessions focusing on global drought issues, public policy, crisis preparedness and management mechanisms, and financing for resilience;
• the expert panels and scientific discussions that made it possible to assess the current state of knowledge and identify areas for action;
• group work on the major challenges to regional resilience: water management, agroecology, biodiversity, the circular economy, pastoralism, employment, skills, governance, human rights, the role of women and youth, and measuring resilience;
• the side events and the Innovation Forum, highlighting inspiring initiatives from different regions;
• the recommendations developed in preparation for COP 17 of the UNCCD, focusing in particular on the Convention’s future strategy, synergies among the Rio Conventions, negotiations on pastoralism, efforts to combat land degradation, and the declaration on drought.

The report also reviews the Summit’s conclusions, the prospects for COP 17, and the highlights of the public event held at the Village des Terres Arides.

A resource to keep the momentum going

Beyond simply summarizing the discussions, this report serves as a practical working tool for those involved in combating desertification and adapting to droughts. It reflects the wealth of insights gathered in Djerba and the solutions developed collectively to strengthen the resilience of these regions.

The report is now available for download. We invite you to read it and share it widely in order to build on the momentum generated at Désertif’actions 2026 and to fuel discussions and actions aimed at creating more resilient regions.

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Entitled “From Désertif’actions 2026 to COP17: issues and priorities to strengthen territorial resilience to drought”, the webinar aimed to connect the lessons learned from the preparatory work and the international Désertif’actions Summit held in Djerba with the opportunities for mobilization and advocacy in the lead-up to COP17. 

Moderated by Jérôme Enjalbert (Program Officer at CARI), the webinar brought together several speakers representing different categories of stakeholders involved in the UNCCD process: 

• Philippine Dutailly – Editor for Desertification and Land Degradation at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, National Focal Point for the UNCCD, and Chair of the CRIC (Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention) 

• Adeline Derkimba – Program Director, CARI 

• Natasha Maru – Global Coordinator for Pastures and Pastoralists, International Land Coalition 

• Ellen Otaru-Okoedion – Africa Representative on the UNCCD Civil Society Organizations Panel  

• Nicolas Cimbaro – Head of International Relations, Aude Departmental Council 

The discussions provided an opportunity to review the main political and technical issues at stake for COP17, particularly around drought resilience, rangelands and pastoralists, land degradation neutrality, and the role of science in decision-making. They also highlighted the importance of dialogue spaces open to civil society organizations, local authorities and grassroots actors. 

Several strong messages emerged from the discussion. Droughts can no longer be considered as occasional crises: they are now a structural risk for territories, calling for anticipatory and coordinated responses rooted in local realities. Speakers also stressed that territories, local authorities, civil society organizations, pastoralists and local communities must be more fully recognized as central actors in building resilience. 

The webinar also helped identify several advocacy priorities ahead of COP17: better equipping territories, strengthening prevention, supporting pastoral systems, improving access to finance, ensuring the effective participation of civil society and local authorities, and turning the recommendations from Désertif’actions into concrete messages to be carried into negotiation spaces. 

The full webinar report is now available. It presents the main lessons from the speakers’ contributions, the key messages shared during the discussion, and the mobilization pathways identified to continue the momentum towards COP17. 

Read the full report here

 
Watch the webinar replay: REPLAY 

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To better understand the current situation and the potential contributions of agroecology to managing this hazard, this document provides answers to questions regarding drought, as well as an overview of the levers and tools that agroecology can offer to strengthen farms’ capacity to withstand drought, adapt and transform. This overview is organised across three levels, as resilience is considered at the farm level, but also at the regional and national levels.

Finally, the final section explores the institutional approaches currently in place to manage droughts, as agroecology is not yet a commonly used framework in this matter.

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