In September 2013, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) accredited Excellent Development as a Civil Society Organisation (CSO). Excellent was accredited for its work combating desertification - one of the world's most critical environmental challenges.

As a UNCCD CSO, Excellent Development will play a key role at major UN conferences, providing a valuable link between dryland smallholder farmers and the convention. The UNCCD says: “They (CSOs) are indispensable partners for UN efforts at the country level, and they are consulted on UN policy and programme matters.”

"I like very much, not only the approach of sand dams, but I like the passion behind, I like the people behind. I really wish that we could do more in taking that technology, that approach, that understanding, among others."

Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary, UNCCD (2007-2013).

As a CSO, Excellent is promoting the value of sand dams as one of the range of solutions that can significantly contribute to sustainable land management in drylands. Excellent Development's former Executive Director Simon Maddrell said:

"There is no silver bullet solution (to desertification). Even technologies that work in one situation cannot be copied and pasted from one place to another. They must be applied to a specific context. The reason Excellent Development promote sand dams is because they are massively under-utilised and have the potential to transform millions of people's lives in drylands."

How sand dams can reverse desertification

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