Dryland Systems: Value for Money

CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food secure future

Key contactsDr. Bill Payne, Program Director – c/o ICARDA, b.payne@cgiar.org

www.drylandsystems.cgiar.org

Over 10 years - more secure income and stable food security for 8 million people in the research action sites; increased productivity of natural resources; and reduced environmental degradation across 22 million hectares. As innovations are scaled out, millions more people can benefit.

www.drylandsystems.cgiar.org

Gender & Youth StrategyA key Intermediate Development Outcome is promoting more gender and youth focused development in dryland production systems.

Impacts: women targeted (out-scaling from core sites) South Asia 9.1 million West Africa 400,000East & Southern Africa 2.9 millionCentral 2.1 millionNorth Africa, West Asia 8.3 million

Research Outputs and OpportunitiesOur systems approach taps the best of interventions from across the dry areas -- combining technologies, policies and practices that are effective in various dryland production systems. • Testing and delivering technology and policy packages for improved agricultural performance for specific agro-ecosystems.• Innovation systems platforms linking rural communities‘ needs, with development experts, policy options and the international research community.• Catalyzing learning and innovation across drylands production systems worldwide.

From outcome to impact: Behavior change targets for Dryland Systems stakeholders

3. NARS & their partners and health sector organizations work together and adopt diagnostic and systematic research approaches to promoting and developing interventions to IMPROVE VULNERABLE WOMEN AND CHILDREN’S ACCESS TO, AND CONTROL OF, MORE AND MORE DIVERSE FOOD SOURCES, throughout the year

1. NARES & their partners use tools, methods and processes to generate and customize IMPROVED RESILIENCE OPTIONS for targeted groups of vulnerable households.

2.NARES & their partners use tools, methods and processes to generate and customize IMPROVED INTENSIFICATION OPTIONS for targeted groups of intensifiable households

4. Multiple stakeholders in pastoral/agropastoral area, use EVIDENCE BASED ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT, at community level, in the governance of common and privately managed land and water resources

Well Being

7. POLICY REFORM to remove constraints and improve incentives to rational management of natural recourses 6. More integrated, effective and connected

SERVICE DELIVERY institutions underpinning system intensification and resilience

5. Farmers and pastoralists have better access TO MORE DIVERSE, EFFICIENT AND EQUITABLE MARKETS

8.WOMEN AND YOUTH HAVE BETTER ACCESS TO AND CONTROL OVER productive assets, inputs, information, market opportunities, and capture a more equitable share of increased income and other benefits

Elements of a theory of change

Market rural non-farm economy

Managing common and

farm resources Policies,

Safety nets FEWS

Service delivery

Agricultural innovation

systems

Livelihood system resilience

Livelihood system intensification

Well Being

THEORY of CHANGEKey elements of the agricultural system interact to improve human

welfare and management of natural resources

Drivers: short term (shocks, migration); medium term (population, climate variability)

• National Research and Extension Systems • Advanced research institutions • Farming communities • The Global Forum for Agricultural Research and its sub-regional organizations • Development agencies • Sub-regional organizations • Civil society organizations • Private sector

Unique Research ValueDryland Systems is bringing sustainable benefits to dry areas that cover 41% of the world’s land surface – home to 30% of the world’s population and some of the poorest and most marginalized people in the world.

In marginal lands: • 10-20% increase in productivity in production systems• More resilient livelihoods for vulnerable householdsIn high potential areas:• 20-30% increase in sustainable productivity in systems • More stable and higher per capita income for intensifiable householdsFor women and children in dry areas:• Access to greater quantity and nutrition year round through diversity of food sources in vulnerable householdsFor pastoral and agro-pastoral lands:• More sustainable and equitable management of land and water resources

LessonsCommon constraints and solutions across regions. Dryland production systems have highly diverse biophysical and socioeconomic settings. Despite this the program sees common constraints to and opportunities for reducing vulnerability and increasing productivity.

Systems approaches are complex. Systems thinking produces lasting results, but require working in new ways, with new core skills, partners and tools.