News from the Drylands         
New South-South Partnership
ICARDA and the United Nations University, Japan, announced a new South-South partnership to combat desertification. The initiative, named ‘CWANA-Plus Partnership’, was launched at the International Conference on Dryland Development in Beijing. CWANA-Plus aims to strengthen research and development in countries with large dryland areas prone to desertification. This includes the vast CWANA region (Central and West Asia, North Africa), as well as large parts of China, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.

The objectives include sharing expertise and facilities, training developing-country scientists, expanding post-graduate degree programs in integrated land management, and promoting improved practices among small-scale farmers. UNU and ICARDA will use existing networks to link national R&D agencies with relevant centers of excellence; identify gaps in research and technology transfer; and select appropriate partners to support dissemination efforts. A Secretariat will be established at ICARDA headquarters in Aleppo.

CWANA-Plus aims to provide poor dryland households with new technologies and viable livelihood options, enabling them to use resources sustainably and reduce their vulnerability to desertification and drought. It also aims to incorporate these options into national policies to reduce poverty and combat desertification.
 
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