Collecting and documenting SWC knowledge

WOCAT is a tool for documenting and evaluating SWC activities. Collection of information involves personal contact and sharing of knowledge between land users and SWC specialists.
Each type of documented experience derived directly from the field increases the knowledge base with actual rather than theoretical experience. This valuable knowledge needs to be safeguarded for the future to promote better decision-making.

A set of three comprehensive questionnaires and a database system have been developed to document all relevant aspects of SWC technologies and approaches, including area coverage. These tools have been tested in many workshops world-wide, and they have been systematically optimised for five years through application in a context of international expertise.
WOCAT's standard tools and procedures, including training workshops, help to maintain the consistency and quality of data.

At the field level, WOCAT's questionnaires offer SWC experts, technicians and extension workers a common framework and methodology for documenting and monitoring their own experience. One immediate benefit of filling in the questionnaires is a sound evaluation of one's own SWC activities. At the same time, WOCAT workshops, data collection and exchange of experience provide a basis for personal contacts with other specialists for immediate knowledge transfer.

At the national and regional planning levels, SWC institutions, planners, co-ordinators and decision-makers need to obtain and maintain an overview of SWC activities. WOCAT helps to efficiently consolidate and apply relevant SWC knowledge that is available in their working areas.