Supporting the Implementation of National Drought Plans: Integrating National Drought Plans into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) - Colombia

Upon the request of the Conference of Parties (COP) at its thirteenth Meeting (COP13), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and partner institutions established the Drought Initiative. The Drought Initiative focused on three actions: working together at the regional level to reduce drought vulnerability and risk; providing a toolbox that stakeholders can use to boost the drought resilience of both people and ecosystems; and setting up drought preparedness system, particularly national drought plans. Following up on the decision, UNCCD has been supporting the development of comprehensive national drought plans.

A project “Enabling Activities for Implementing UNCCD COP Drought Decisions” funded by the Global Environment Facility, jointly implemented by FAO and the UNCCD, is currently running to support the operationalization of national drought plans according to the principles of integrated drought management. Within the framework of this project, FAO, UNCCD, IDMP, and WMO organized a regional workshop for Latin America and the Caribbean on the 1st of August with the aim of strengthening national and institutional frameworks and building capacities for the implementation of the national drought plans.

The objectives of the workshop were to build capacities on effective planning of drought management and the implementation of drought plans, including the integration of plans with the national action plans to the UNCCD. Furthermore, the workshop facilitated the peer-to-peer learning and development of the community-of-practice in drought management.