Moldova starts drafting UNCCD Report 2026

The fertile soils of the Republic of Moldova are a strategic resource for sustainable development, and their monitoring and restoration must remain national priorities, says Iordanca-Rodica Iordanov, Executive Director of NGO EcoContact, in the context of launching the process of preparing the National Report to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD 2026).

The Republic of Moldova has officially launched the preparation of the international report through which it will present updated indicators on soil condition, the effects of drought, and the evolution of land degradation. The process was launched during a working meeting organized by the State Hydrometeorological Service, the national focal point of the Convention, in partnership with EcoContact.

According to Iordanca-Rodica Iordanov, the document has an importance that goes beyond the strictly environmental sphere.

“We are not talking only about nature protection. We are talking about agriculture, about farmers, about food security and the economic stability of villages. Protecting soil means protecting the rural economy and, ultimately, each of us,” emphasized the Executive Director of EcoContact.

She noted that the Republic of Moldova is among the European countries most exposed to land degradation and drought, and without constant monitoring and coherent policies, economic losses can become significant.

“Drought, erosion, and soil degradation are no longer theoretical risks. They are already affecting agricultural productivity. That is why soil fertility must be treated as a security issue – food, economic and social,” Iordanov pointed out.

The UNCCD 2026 report will include systematized data on soil quality and condition; the frequency and impact of drought; the link between drought and agriculture; and land degradation processes.

The indicators will be reported through the international PRAIS platform, in line with the Convention’s strategic framework for 2018–2030. A central element is the monitoring of Land Degradation Neutrality – an objective undertaken by all member states.

“Reporting is not a bureaucratic exercise. It is the basis for public policies. Without accurate data, you cannot build effective measures for adapting to climate change,” explained Iordanov.

The process involves correlating data from several fields – agriculture, environment, hydrometeorology and rural development – in order to ensure international comparability. Coordination will be carried out by the UNCCD Working Group, which is to be renewed by order of the Minister of Environment. In the next stage, the institutions involved will collect, validate and submit the data sets that will be integrated into the report and presented to the Secretariat of the UN Convention. At the same time, the National Programme to combat desertification and land degradation for the period 2026–2030 is being finalized. The document provides for the restoration of degraded land; measures to prevent desertification; interventions for areas affected by drought and floods; and monitoring of UNCCD implementation through disaggregated indicators, including from a gender perspective.

“If we lose fertile soil, we lose our main agricultural advantage. Restoring land is not only an international obligation, but an investment in the country’s future,” concluded Iordanca-Rodica Iordanov.

The activity is carried out under the project “GEF support for the UNCCD 2026 national reporting process – Republic of Moldova”, financed by the Global Environment Facility and implemented through the UN Environment Programme.