1. CGIAR Research Program Dryland Systems
Said Silim
ICARDA, Country Manager
Africa RISING Annual Learning Event
ILRI, Addis Ababa, September 2013

2. This presentation Drylands and dryland production systems
Key challenges
Program objectives
Target regions
Research themes
Expected outcomes
Partner institutions

3. Drylands Drylands cover about 41% of the earth’s land area (~3 b Ha)
Dry areas are home to 2.5 billion people
About 16% of this population lives in chronic poverty.

4. Dryland production systems
Complex combinations of locally adapted crops, vegetables, livestock, rangelands, trees and fish
Generally low in productivity and unable to meet the growing demands
Production system
Enterprises
Agro-pastoral
(19% land area)
Millet, sorghum, pulses, groundnut, maize, trees Cattle, small ruminants
Pastoral
(40% land area)
Rangeland species; fodder trees & shrubs
Camels, cattle, sheep, goats
Rainfed mixed
(16% land area)
Sorghum, millet, pulses (cowpea, chickpea, lentil, faba bean), maize, wheat, groundnut, cassava, trees, Camels, cattle, sheep, goats

5. Key Challenges Highly variable precipitation and temperatures
Water scarcity
Low and erratic rainfall
Prolonged droughts
Low inherent soil fertility
Severe land degradation and desertification
Loss of biodiversity
Number of socio-economic and institutional constraints
Lack of investment

6. Program Objectives
Sustainable productivity growth and intensified production systems at the farm and landscape levels
More resilient dryland agro-ecosystems that can cope with climate variation and change
Less vulnerable and improved livelihoods of rural communities in drylands
Enhanced and equitable agricultural innovations systems that link to policy and improve the impact of research and development investments in dry areas

7. Target regions
Areas/systems with the deepest endemic poverty and most vulnerable populations, often associated with severe natural resource degradation and extreme environmental variability
Systems with the greatest potential for impact on poverty in the short to medium term

8. Research themes
Approaches and models for strengthening innovation systems and linking knowledge to policy action
Reducing vulnerability and managing risk
Sustainable intensification for more productive, profitable and diversified dryland agriculture with well-established linkages to markets
Measuring impacts and cross-regional synthesis

9. Target regions
Areas/systems with the deepest endemic poverty and most vulnerable populations, often associated with severe natural resource degradation and extreme environmental variability
Systems with the greatest potential for impact on poverty in the short to medium term

10. Expected outcomes Adoption and use innovation systems approaches
Increased and better focused investment in drylands
Integrated interventions that reduce vulnerability, manage risk and improve resilience of rural livelihoods
Increased capacity to adapt to climate and other shocks
Integrated management options that sustainably intensify and diversify production systems
Women and other disadvantaged groups benefit from innovation processes that is based on equitable access
Engagement in value-adding activities and new agribusiness
Increased investment in the dryland development

11. Program partners Bioversity International
Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT)
Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP)
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA, the Lead Center)
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
WorldFish Center
Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Program (SSA-CP)