This study has reviewed the state of art on existing indicators and their use for desertification monitoring and CCD implementation in the Southern African region. However, the information provided in the reviewed reports and in the few questionnaires received is very limited, in most cases just a name of an indicator is provided. Only a few of the indicators have any form of description and even fewer have defined benchmarks. An in depth analysis of the state of art of benchmarks and indicators in the SADC region, based on these results, is therefore not possible. Nevertheless, some of the questions suggested can be discussed based on these findings. This study has shown that many of the SADC countries have defined indicators under the framework of UNCCD. The review identified a total of approximately 225 unique indicators related to desertification monitoring or to NAP implementation. However, only 34 of these indicators had some kind of benchmarks defined. The diversity of indicators proposed by the different countries is striking. Seldom is an indicator used in more than one country. Monitoring of various aspects of rainfall and soil properties are the most commonly suggested indicators. This illustrates that issues related to desertification that are found to be important in the different countries varies widely, which makes it difficult, if not impossible to develop one "universal" core set of desertification indicators.