Outstanding Participation of the Small Grants Program at the United Nations Conference to Combat Desertification Emad Adly: Projects Combine Land Degradation Mitigation and Climate Change Adaptation
The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP 16), held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from December 2 to 13, 2023, witnessed active participation from the Small Grants Program (GEF/SGP), affiliated with the Global Environment Facility. The program supports national and international efforts to address the challenges of desertification and its negative impacts on the environment and local communities. During the conference, the Small Grants Program team presented a comprehensive overview of key projects being implemented in Egypt with program funding, focusing on combating land degradation and promoting environmental sustainability.
The projects implemented in Egypt under the operational Phase Seven of the Small Grants Program include multiple initiatives aimed at rehabilitating degraded lands, promoting sustainable agriculture, and supporting local communities most affected by environmental changes. These projects also seek to improve soil fertility using modern, eco-friendly techniques such as drip irrigation and organic fertilizers, ultimately contributing to food security and reducing population migration caused by land degradation.
Dr. Emad El-Din Adly, National Director of the Small Grants Program, emphasized that since the program’s launch in Egypt in 1992, combating land degradation has been one of its core focus areas. Over the past 32 years, the program has allocated numerous grants to fund pioneering projects for the preservation of agricultural lands, implemented by NGOs and civil society organizations across various governorates.
He added that the program continues to advance its goal of reducing land degradation during Phase Seven (2022–2026) by allocating additional grants to fund projects in Upper Egypt and the Delta region. These include multi-purpose projects that combine climate change mitigation, environmental pollution control, and the preservation of agricultural lands.
The projects implemented by civil society organizations in Egypt, with funding from the Small Grants Program, demonstrate how international funding can create tangible change at the local level—by providing sustainable job opportunities, improving quality of life, and enhancing community resilience to climate challenges. These initiatives also contribute to achieving Egypt’s Vision 2030 for sustainable development. During its participation in the UN Conference on Desertification, the Small Grants Program reaffirmed its commitment to supporting national and regional efforts to combat desertification, stressing that investing in the environment is an investment in the future of humanity as a whole.