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ICARDA News International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria Phone: (963-21) 2213433, 2213477, 2225112, 2225012 Fax: (963-21) 2213490, 2225105; E-mail: ICARDA@CGIAR.ORG Website: www.icarda.org
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Media
contact: Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG) | |||
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International
Conference:
Desertification and the International Policy Imperative | |||
The
Joint International Conference “Desertification and the International
Policy Imperative” took place on 17-19 December 2006 in Algiers,
Algeria, and focused on policies needed for successful dryland management.
Organized within the framework of the International Year of Deserts
and Desertification (IYDD), the conference brought together over 250
representatives from governments, intergovernmental organizations,
and NGOs. The presentations and discussions included national and
subregional case studies; strategies for monitoring and evaluation;
financing options; and the potential role of the private sector.
The conference was inaugurated by H.E. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of Algeria; and H.E. Cherif Khalafi Rahmani, Algerian Minister of Land Management and Environment – reflecting the country’s strong commitment to combat desertification. President Bouteflika stressed the political and environmental threats of desertification and its implications for development. Minister Rahmani discussed the positive and negative effects of globalization on arid areas. He acknowledged the ‘people of the deserts’ participating in the conference, and noted Algeria’s leadership role in combating desertification. ICARDA was represented by Dr Mahmoud Solh, Director General, who made statements at the opening and closing sessions. Addressing delegates at the opening session, Dr Solh reviewed the major factors contributing to desertification, and expressed optimism that solutions could be found. “Desertification is a major threat to global food security and ecosystem health. Can we prevent and, in some situations, reverse desertification? From our experience with advances in science and technology, the answer is ‘yes’.” He stressed the importance of an integrated approach to research and development. “I hope the meeting will recommend more holistic approaches, pulling together the findings and recommendations from earlier IYDD meetings.” Dr Solh also noted the critical importance of good policy, to encourage and support R&D efforts. “The development and implementation of innovative technologies hinges on an enabling policy environment and strong political support. It is fitting that we hold a conference on the policy issues associated with land degradation, as it has been clear for some time that there are major bottlenecks in the policy and institutional arenas that are holding back progress. The aim must be to bring the problems and scale of desertification to the attention of policy makers at the highest level.”
Other ICARDA participants included Drs Richard Thomas, who chaired a session and is a member of the international steering committee; and Mohamed El Mourid and Celine Dutilly-Diane, who made presentations. Two papers were presented on ICARDA’s desertification research: payment for environmental services (Dr Dutilly-Diane), and an enabling policy environment to enhance adoption of NRM technologies in marginal drylands (presented by Dr El Mourid on behalf of Dr Kamel Shideed, MP-5 Director). One recurrent theme at the meeting was the need to improve exchange of information among stakeholders. Another common concern was how to raise the profile of local communities (enabling their voices to be heard) and institutions. Several governments have highlighted the dangers of land degradation, but wider public awareness is needed in order to attract sufficient funding to tackle this global problem. Several speakers noted the need for incentives to speed up implementation of interventions. The conference closed with an address by H.E. Cherif Rahmani, and two signing ceremonies; ICARDA was a co-signatory to both. In the first signing ceremony, representatives from the Algerian Ministry of Land Management and Environment, UNDP, UNEP, UNCCD, ICARDA and UNU endorsed a proposal initiated by Algeria and Arab ministers requesting that 2010-2020 be named as the Decade of Deserts and Desertification at the next session of the UN General Assembly. In the second ceremony, six research institutes signed an agreement to support an international master’s degree program on integrated land management in drylands at the United Nations University in Tokyo, Japan. The partners are UNU, ICARDA, the Institute de Regions Arides and Institute National Agronomique de Tunisie, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Tottori University, Japan. Five selected students will spend up to one month working at ICARDA during late 2007 on GIS, sustainable dryland management, and other topics. During the Conference, Dr Solh held discussions with several officials from national, regional and international institutions on activities of mutual interest to ICARDA. |
About
ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.org)
serves the entire developing world for the improvement of barley, lentil, and
faba bean; and dry-area developing countries for the on-farm management of water,
improvement of nutrition and productivity of small ruminants (sheep and goats),
and rehabilitation and management of rangelands. In the Central and West Asia
and North Africa (CWANA) region, ICARDA is responsible for the improvement of
durum and bread wheats, chickpea, pasture and forage legumes and farming systems;
and for the protection and enhancement of the natural resource base of water,
land, and biodiversity.
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural
Research (CGIAR) (www.cgiar.org) is a strategic alliance of countries, international
and regional organizations, and private foundations supporting15 international
research centers that mobilizes cutting-edge science to promote sustainable development
by reducing hunger and poverty, improving human nutrition and health, and protecting
the environment.