COP16 A Lifeline to Millions: CGIAR Launches Resilient Dryland Strategy at COP16 Joint Media Release
CGIAR, the global leader in agricultural research, has launched its visionary 2030 Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands
December 4, 2024
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – CGIAR, the global leader in agricultural research, has launched its visionary 2030 Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands (GSRD) to transform farming in the world’s driest regions and ensure sustainable food systems for generations to come.
The GSRD, collaboratively developed by CGIAR centers under the leadership of ICARDA (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas) and ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics), provides a comprehensive, science-driven roadmap to improve the lives of some 2.7 billion people who call the drylands home with a particular focus on Asia and Africa.
Drylands, traditionally seen as fragile ecosystems, are key to developing climate-smart agricultural models that can be scaled globally.
These regions support 44% of global agriculture and nearly half of the world’s livestock.
A 50-year legacy
Building on 50 years of dryland research, the GSRD leverages innovations from CGIAR’s 15 global research centers and partners and provides solutions to enhance food security, conserve biodiversity, and build resilient livelihoods by delivering groundbreaking agri-research solutions—such as solar-powered agrivoltaics, innovative agroforestry and livestock feed practices, soil improvement and desalination solutions, as well as improved breeding technology for climate-smart crops such as barley, lentil, chickpea, soybean or cactus.
Speaking at COP16 in Riyadh, CGIAR Executive Managing Director Dr Ismahane Elouafi said the new strategy builds on CGIAR’s rich legacy of impact, uniting all fifteen centers in a stronger, more integrated effort to tackle the challenges of drylands.
“By combining our expertise, we will deliver more innovative, context-specific, and lasting solutions to secure the livelihoods of communities that rely on these vital but fragile ecosystems,” said Dr Elouafi.
Regions of Potential
Dr Stanford Blade, Director General-Interim of ICRISAT said that drylands are not just regions of scarcity but immense potential.
“This strategy brings forward a wealth of knowledge and research from our shared 50 years of experience, demonstrating that drylands, often overlooked, possess an untapped potential for resilience.
“As climate change continues to threaten global food systems, the models of resilience we, along with our partners, have developed in drylands will be indispensable to support the world’s most vulnerable communities,” said Dr Blade.
Dr Aly Abousabaa, Director General of ICARDA and CGIAR’s Regional Director Central and West Asia and North Africa, said the strategy was also a call to action for the broader development community.
“The CGIAR Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands is a game-changing venture targeting critical challenges like water scarcity, land degradation, and desertification.
This groundbreaking effort is an essential lifeline to global dryland communities confronting the accelerating impacts of climate change, the defining challenge of our time,” said Dr Abousabaa.
Group photo following the Launch of the GSRD on 4 December 2024.
Group photo following the Launch of the GSRD on 4 December 2024.
Why It Matters
Climate Change Resilience: Drylands are experiencing warming rates 20–40% higher than other regions, making them frontline battlegrounds against climate change.
Food Security: With 70% of the world’s hungry people living in areas affected by conflict and environmental fragility, transforming drylands is critical to alleviating global hunger.
Global Impact: As climate change continues to expand arid zones, the lessons and solutions developed for drylands today will be essential for addressing tomorrow’s challenges.
5 Key Opportunities for Drylands:
Optimizing agrifood systems to adapt to climate change by developing climate-smart crop varieties, introducing innovative breeding technology, and supporting climate adaptation in livestock and aquatic systems
Conserving and using biodiversity to support resilient ecosystems and communities by introducing mixed cropping systems, encouraging farming system diversification, and harnessing Indigenous and specifically women’s expertise on biodiversity
Managing soil, land, and water systems to sustainably intensify production by developing and promoting regenerative and conservation agriculture, facilitating rangeland restoration, and using innovative irrigation technology based on solar-powered agrivoltaics and drip-irrigation
Ensuring access to sustainable healthy diets to alleviate hunger and malnutrition by promoting nutrient-dense diverse crops such as millets, sorghum, pulses, legumes, roots, nuts, seed and leaves, and animal-sourced foods
Promoting inclusive, equitable development to nurture safety, agency, and peace
The GSRD was developed through extensive consultations with national research organizations, governments, private sector partners, and civil society, ensuring its alignment with the specific needs of different dryland regions. As the world faces increasing climate shocks, CGIAR’s GSRD aims to position dryland agriculture at the heart of global climate adaptation strategies.
To view the GSRD document, please visit: https://www.cgiar.org/gsrd/
About CGIAR
The Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) is the world’s largest publicly-funded group of agrifood systems research centers. This global non-profit research partnership for a food-secure future, is dedicated to transforming food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis. CGIAR’s research is conducted through its 15 independent centers around the globe employing more than 9,000 personnel operating in over 80 countries. The centers collaborate with more than 3,000 partners from national and regional research institutions, civil society, academic institutions, development organizations, and the private sector.
About ICARDA
The International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) is an international organization undertaking agricultural research for development in climate-vulnerable regions in North Africa, Central and West Asia, and the Middle East. ICARDA’s research priorities focus on climate-smart crops, crop-livestock systems, and soil-water-agronomy innovations. ICARDA also engages in research to empower women and youth, upscale proven technologies, digitalize research, and conserve regional biodiversity in the ICARDA genebanks in Lebanon and Morocco.
About ICRISAT
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is a pioneering International Organization committed to developing and improving dryland farming and agri-food systems to address the challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and environmental degradation affecting the 2.1 billion people residing in the drylands of Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and beyond.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Tahira Carter, Head of Communications, ICRISAT (tahira.carter@icrisat.org)
James Pursey, Senior Communications Manager, ICARDA (j.pursey@cgiar.org)
