WOCAT » QCAT

• First of all, and first impression: big improvement in terms of lay-out and simplicity compared to the current db (which immediately opens with a “complicated” query screen). Is this a template or at least an example for the new look of the WOCAT db as well? I considered it as such in my comments;
• Being a geographer I first look for a map indicating where I can find some Ts and As – which is still missing. So a facility to search by location (either through coordinates, by name or on a map) would be good (PS I now see that under Advanced filter at least one can select a country);

• I can only get back to the main screen by clicking Back in my browser (or I did not look well, which is what most people don’t);

• When I select the WOCAT portal and View SLM technologies, but then click on All SLM practices (which is not logical, I know, but again that’s what people do…), I also get the UNCCD practices. That is slightly confusing since I thought I selected the WOCAT portal and not the UNCCD one. Maybe indicate this somewhere (either change the button names for Ts and As to WOCAT Technologies/ Approaches or the button name for All to “All WOCAT and UNCCD practices”. Not a major issue though;

• But when I then click on one of the UNCCD practices in this list, I am apparently (and without warning) taken to a different (i.e. the UNCCD) menu, as in the menu bar I now get the option “Show all SLM best practices” (btw I guess we cannot avoid that latter term for UNCCD purposes…?). In the latter, I can not get the WOCAT case studies anymore;

• As to the details (Technologies): Replace text in 2.4 with (or add) a small map showing location (and extent if known)?

• 5.3 Costs and Inputs: no decimals in the figures – that gives an unjustified illusion of accuracy. Perhaps for labour indicate that this may include a valorisation of farmers’ own labour?

• 6. Natural Environment: Pity we lost the nice graphs here… Only two colours (Black and Grey)?

• No access to the full information (or is this the full information nowadays with the “light” or whatever we call it version…?)?

• Approaches: starts with 1.4: “Define the area in which the SLM Approach has been applied”. Change to 1 and omit “Define the”. And add small map here too…!

• Very succinct summary…, also compared to the Ts. Is this all that remains in the “light” or “basic” version?

• The Approach indicates a linked QT, but the Ts do not have the link to an Approach.

• General: Still the (difficult) language problem. My setting is “English”, yet I still get case studies in Spanish (or French or other languages probably when the db is fully populated), though the headings are in English. That doesn’t really help if I don’t speak Spanish. Perhaps we should still explore the options of automatic translation – even though sub-optimal to say the least. But it’s better than this (not even) half-solution;

In general: even though WOCAT was assigned to host the UNCCD “Best practices”, the format of the latter is not changed to the WOCAT format, so basically there remain two different databases. I guess merging them or expecting UNCCD to fully embrace the WOCAT format – for new cases - would be a step too far as yet.

Maybe not comprehensive but at least some comments from my side. What about our envisaged more in-depth involvement in new developments with the database and Website - rather than commenting afterwards? After our meeting in Bern of a year ago, we were not very actively involved in further developments and my impression is that a lot of (good) work was done in-house again. It is well possible that I missed some correspondence and chances to be more actively involved, though I hope and think not, but in that case please refresh my memory.