The role of the Partnership Initiative on Sustainable Land Management in Combating Land Degradation in Caribbean SIDS

摘要

The Partnership Initiative on Sustainable Land Management (PISLM) is presently the only innovative initiative taking place in the Caribbean region that addresses land degradation specifically as it applies to the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Land degradation is a serious and significant problem in Caribbean SIDS. Based on the differences between the countries there is no regional mechanism for coordinating land management issues at the regional level and this provides a void which the PISLM attempts to fill. Concerted efforts need to be given to the implementation of the UNCCD as one of the major problems identified in Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is the difficulty in implementing multi-lateral environmental agreements (MEAs). The PISLM was developed based on the recognition of the need for a systematic approach to the implementation of the Convention and it aims to promote synergistic approaches with other areas such as biodiversity conservation, climate change, disaster management and sustainable rural/agricultural practices with particular linkages with food security and poverty alleviation. The PISLM consists of various components, one of which is capacity development for sustainable land management. This essentially aims at enhancing the capacity of stakeholders to plan and implement activities and undertake tasks that addresses land degradation and contribute to sustainable land management.