National Action Programs – (NAPs)

National Action Programms (NAPs) are key instruments for the implementation of the UNCCD. They are often supported by action programs at subregional and regional levels. NAPs are developed through a participatory approach involving various stakeholders – relevant state institutions, scientific institutions and local communities. NAPs contain practical steps and measures to be taken to combat desertification in specific ecosystems. The purpose of the NAP is to identify factors that contribute to the measures combating degradation and the practical measures necessary for mitigation of the drought effects. The NAP should determine the appropriate roles of government, local communities and land users and available and necessary resources for the NAP implementation. NAP, among others:

• develop a long-term strategy to combat degradation and mitigate the effects of drought and its implementation plan and is integrated into the national policy for sustainable development;
• allows changes in accordance with the changes that have occurred at the local level (different socio-economic, biological and geo-physical conditions);
• devotes special attention to the implementation of preventive measures for land that has not yet been degraded or is only slightly degraded;
• improve national climatological and hydrometeorological capacities and early warning devices against drought;
• promote policies and strengthen the institutional framework that develop cooperation and coordination between donors, governments at all levels, the local population and the community, and provides the local people with appropriate information and technology;
• ensures the active participation of non-governmental organizations and local people, in particular resource users, including farmers and livestock farmers and organizations representing them, in policy planning, decision-making, and the implementation and review of NAPs at the local, national and regional levels;
• requires regular reviews and progress reports on their implementation.

The NAP to combat degradation describes the general guidelines and mechanisms to be considered in the future. At the same time, the NAP does not list the detailed and developed measures to be taken in each specific case, as many of them require a consistent scientific review.

UNCCD urges affected country Parties to align their national action programs, as well as other relevant implementation activities related to the Convention, to the UNCCD’s 10-Year strategy. Since the adoption of the Strategy in 2007, many affected countries have started the process of aligning their national action programs, as well as harmonizing subregional and regional action programs.

Download Guidelines for alignment of National Action programmes.