Agro-ecosystems in dry areas are sensitive to changes in climate and land use. The productivities of these agro-ecosystems are highly variable in both spatial and temporal scales. Accurate and up-to-date information on these production systems at farmscape to landscape scales are important for understanding the food security

Nomadic pastoralism is a precarious lifestyle and a significant form of land use involving some form of mobility within extensive rangeland areas (WISP, 2007). Pastoralism provides 10% of the world’s meat production and supports approximately 200 million households worldwide (FAO, 2001). A declining trend in pastoralism with a shift to sedentary agro-pastoral practices on smaller tracks of land and its major implications on rangeland management have been noted by the authors across many regions.

List of Participant to the stakeholder meeting held in Tunis and aimed at establishing a processes for sustainable collective rangeland management and governance

Presentation made by Jutta werner during the stakeholder meeting held in Tunis and aimed at developing sound policies that will enable implementation of governance of rangelands (collective action for sustainable pastoralism)

The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other research, predict a significant future increase in the frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall events in many regions. This increase runoff and soil erosion, and reduce agricultural productivity, as well as increasing risks of flood damage to crops and infrastructure. Implementing adaptation measures and improved land management through erosion control and soil protection are among those that protect water and agriculture and limit their vulnerability.

Community based goat breed improvement was established to improve the productivity performance of goat through selective breeding and to demonstrate community based utilization and conservation of local breed. The community based breeding with 56 participant farmers have been established since March 2012 at Dinzaz Village Gumara Makseget watershed. 12 bucks user group were established for easy management of the selected bucks. The data were recorded through trained enumerators and best bucks were selected and distributed for buck user group.

In response to the severe economic, social, and environmental costs of degradation across Tunisia’s rangelands, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) has worked with the General Directorate of Forestry (Direction Générale des Forêts, DGF) to draw up a new pastoral code. This code could facilitate a more sustainable governance regime that also delivers for pastoral communities. Inclusive and practical, the code also offers a framework for other countries experiencing degradation in rangeland areas.

Teff, Eragrostis tef /zucc./ Trotter is one of the most important cereal crops in Ethiopia that occupies (32%), the largest cultivated area under cereals and 26% of the whole area cultivated to annual field crops by covering about two million hectares of land annually. Tef is adapted to environments ranging from drought stress to water logged soil conditions. It can be grown at altitude ranging from sea level to 3000m above sea level, with the maximum production occurs between 1700 and 2400m.

The Chinyanja Triangle (CT) is an area inside the Zambezi
River Basin, inhabited by Chinyanja-speaking people
sharing a similar history, language and culture across
the dryland systems of the eastern province of Zambia,
southern and central regions of Malawi and Tete Province
of Mozambique. Chiefs and Chiefdoms play a critical role
in decision making and influencing social relationships. The
Zambezi River, which originates in the Kalene Hills in Zambia
is joined by ten big tributaries from six countries, and is

ICARDA has long-standing outreach programs in North Africa, the Nile Valley, and the Red Sea region (Fig 2). In its current strategic plan, the Center will extend its work to the drylands of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Egypt, where the mean temperature is expected to increase by 1−1.5°C over the next two decades, is particularly concerned with climate change in the Medi- terranean. Most of the research works on adaptive animal traits have focused on sheep and goats in non-irrigated areas, with little interest in livestock systems in irrigated areas. However, meat and dairy products in Egypt are mainly sup- plied by large ruminants − cattle and buffaloes.

This document presents the Strategic Plan of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas for the period from 2017 to 2026. ICARDA’s mission is to enhance food, water, and nutritional security and environmental health in the face of global challenges, including climate change. Through preparedness for change and productivity gains in the rural economy, ICARDA will contribute to poverty reduction and social stability as our overarching goal. Innovative science, partnerships for impact, capacity development, and a fit-for-purpose organization are our tools.