FFEM and Desertification: From Local Innovation to Global Solutions

Climate change is disrupting rainfall patterns and increasing soil vulnerability. At the same time, certain human practices—such as deforestation, intensive agriculture, overgrazing, and overexploitation of natural resources—are exacerbating land degradation.

In response to these pressures, solutions exist: sustainable agricultural practices, ecosystem restoration, and collaborative resource management.

The 2026 Desertif’actions Summit is part of this momentum, bringing together scientists, NGOs, local authorities, farmers’ organizations, and institutions to share experiences, strengthen cooperation, and inform decisions ahead of COP17, scheduled to take place in Mongolia in August 2026.

Within this global mobilization, the FFEM plays a key role by supporting concrete initiatives that demonstrate that effective solutions already exist on the ground.

The FFEM prioritizes projects co-designed with local stakeholders to provide solutions tailored to on-the-ground realities.

The SupMed project in Egypt (and Lebanon), currently in its completion and knowledge capitalization phase, has helped reduce water pressure while improving agricultural incomes through more sustainable irrigation practices and agroecological solutions.

In the Sahel, the “Dundi Ferlo” project, launched in 2023, follows this approach. It is based on collaborative management of agropastoral resources and active involvement of local communities, with the aim of preserving ecosystems and reducing land-use conflicts in particularly vulnerable areas.

In Mongolia, steppe ecosystems are being weakened by the combined effects of climate change and economic transformations. The growing demand for cashmere has led to an increase in herd sizes, putting additional pressure on pastures and contributing to land degradation.

The now-completed “Sustainable Cashmere” project helped structure a more responsible value chain by improving livestock practices.

Building on this momentum, the recently launched “Nomads for Life” project supports the transition of nomadic lifestyles toward more sustainable practices adapted to climate change.

These initiatives illustrate the FFEM’s ability to take long-term action, building on past achievements to support more structural transformations.

COP17 on combating desertification, scheduled for August 2026 in Mongolia, represents a key milestone for accelerating international mobilization and financing sustainable solutions.

Projects supported by the FFEM demonstrate that it is possible to move from local innovation to large-scale solutions.

In the face of urgency, collective mobilization of all stakeholders will be essential to transform these initiatives into lasting drivers of territorial resilience.