As part of efforts to assess progress towards combating desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD), tracking advancement towards
attaining Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN), representatives from Caribbean Small Island Developing States, joined other countries from Latin America for a regional capacity building and UNCCD national reporting exercise.
Contributing to global monitoring frameworks including Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 15.3, the workshop encouraged the submission of timely, complete and high-quality national reports through the PRAIS 4 Platform. It follows a similar training held in Grenada in February 2026, led by the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management- in its capacity as the support hub for reporting for thirteen (13) Caribbean SIDS, in collaboration with Apacheta, under the GEF funded Umbrella project implemented by the UNEP.
The training held from April 20-23, in Panama City assisted the regional technicians, who are now at different stages of implementation, adaptation, and refinement of their reporting approaches, to share their progress to date, reflect on the practical challenges encountered and exchange solutions, innovations and best practices, related to data availability, integration, validation, and
interpretation.
Ms. Tricianna Maharaj, who serves as the PISLM Project Manager for the UNCCD’s PRAIS Reporting for the Caribbean, expressed that “The 2026 reporting cycle is not just another exercise, but is a defining moment for how we, as a region, move beyond compliance and treat data as a
strategic tool for decision-making, planning, and investment.”
While the workshop provided a structured space for countries to compare approaches to using national and global data sources, adapting methodologies to national circumstances, and addressing common technical and institutional constraints, Maharaj believes, “This is not just a
technical improvement, but a shift toward national ownership of the reporting process.” PISLM is pleased to be collaborating with organisations such as United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Conservation International (CI), the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO) and Apacheta, with support from UNCCD staff, as it facilitates and performs the backstopping role, offering targeted inputs, demonstrations, and clarifications where needed, while prioritizing country-led discussion and experience sharing.
The regional workshop was convened by the UNCCD, with financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implementation support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) under the Global Support Programme for UNCCD Reporting (GSP IV).
Caribbean countries represented at the workshop included Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and Suriname.
