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Dryarc Initiative Co-Design Workshop

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World
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ICARDA
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Rabat, Morocco, 8-11 September 2019 – Eight CGIAR* centers participated in a co-design workshop to consolidate the key objectives of the DryArc Initiative and define its outputs and outcomes while ensuring integration with global climate and resilience needs.

The DryArc Initiative is a research partnership between eight CGIAR Research Centers that aims to strengthen the resilience of rural communities and agri-food systems across the global drylands of the Middle East and North Africa, South, Central, and West Asia as well as Sub-Saharan Africa, representing the DryArc region.

Taking place in ICARDA’s INRA-Morocco hosted offices, the event brought together the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS), donors, partners, and stakeholders of the DryArc to identify and explore the objectives of the DryArc Initiative, its implementation modalities and Theory of Change.

The four pillars of the DryArc action towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are:

  • combining knowledge (local, regional, international) to design systemic innovations,
  • accelerating scaling up of impactful target innovations,
  • continuous integration of disruptive technologies,
  • and enabling institutional environment (decision-making, M&E, absorptive capacity, investment).

The dryland region is considered the most vulnerable to climate variability and change. Along with the rapid population growth, the communities of the drylands are increasingly exposed to the risk of livelihoods shocks and losses. Several of these communities are further plagued by conflicts, social unrest, and protracted crises.

In order to provide a response to these multiples challenges, the eight CGIAR centers have joined forces with the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS), and other key development stakeholders, such as FAO and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), to discuss and co-draft this new initiative, which is specifically designed to drive market-led innovations for sustainable agricultural intensification of the drylands, contributing to sustained ecosystem services and reduced water scarcity, and adaptation to climate change (heat, drought, floods, glacier loss).

On the last day of the workshop, the policy advice component for countries to adapt was emphasized. A field trip was organised for the donor representatives.

See also:

Press Release FAO 25/09/2019. The DryArc Initiative: a CGIAR Research Center partnership aiming to strengthen the resilience of rural communities and agri-food systems across the Global Drylands

Video interviews about the new CGIAR DryArc Initiative:

Opportunities of the DryArc Initiative - Interview with **Dr. Michel Afram **Director General Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute LARI). He answers following questions:

  • How can the DryArc Initiative benefit from the rich Lebanese culinary tradition?
  • Does the processing of traditional food require new technologies and skills?
  • Can the DryArc Initiative promote specific food niches?
  • Can those niches be made more attractive for export to the European Union?
  • What is the most urgent research priority for the DryArc Initiative?
  • Which international expertise would be needed for this?
  • Can a consortium of international agricultural research centers influence national policy makers?
  • Can LARI play a role in the food safety problems of countries in the South?
  • Can South-South collaboration be fruitful under the DryArc initiative?
  • Is triangular cooperation the future?

Additional video interviews:

Below are video-messages from representatives that couldn’t attend the event.

Interview with Martin Kropff, Director General of CIMMYT.
Supporting agricultural innovation in dry areas

  • What are the challenges of agriculture in dry areas
  • Why should donors support the DryArc initiative?