Building up and sharing knowledge for better decision making on soil and water conservation in a changing mountain environment - the WOCAT experience

For successful implementation of any soil and water conservation (SWC) or sustainable
land management practice, it is essential to have a proper understanding of the natural
and human environment in which these practices are applied. This understanding
should be based on comprehensive information concerning the application of the
technologies and not solely on the technological details. The World Overview of
Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) is documenting and evaluating
SWC practices worldwide, following a standardised methodology that facilitates
exchange and comparison of experiences. Notwithstanding this standardisation,
WOCAT allows flexible use of its outputs, adapted to different users and different
environments. WOCAT offers a valuable tool for evaluating the strengths and
weaknesses of SWC practices and their potential for application in other areas. Besides
collecting a wealth of information, gaps in available information are also exposed,
showing the need for more research in those fields. Several key issues for development-
oriented research have been identified and are being addressed in collaboration with a
research programme for mitigating syndromes of global change.