The meeting took place from 1-4 February 2010, in Amman, Jordan. The abstracts are organized into themes on: scenarios for climate change in dry areas; impacts on natural resource availability, agricultural production systems and environmental degradation; impacts on food security, livelihoods and poverty; mitigation, adaptation and ecosystem resilience; and enabling environments to cope with impacts. ICARDA is a member of Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). [Book of Abstracts] [Climate-L.org story about the International Conference on Food Security and Climate Change in Dry Areas]

The report underscores that jatropha can reduce soil erosion and that its seeds can be processed into biodiesel for light or cooking fuel. It highlights that jatropha grows in marginal areas and does not compete with food crops, but notes that it may need inputs, such as water and fertilizers for sustained yields. The report cautions that the seed yield, oil quality and oil content are variable, and stresses the need for more crop improvement. It suggests that the greatest pro-poor potential for jatropha at present is for the reclamation of degraded farmland. The report is based on papers and presentations from the International Consultation on Pro-Poor Jatropha Development, which convened from 10-11 April 2008, in Rome, Italy. It includes chapters on jatropha cultivation; seed harvest, processing and uses of jatropha; genetic improvement; and experiences in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. [FAO Report]

Gnacadja noted links between climate change and conflict, and challenged his audience to “pursue a decisive policy change in the way we perceive the drylands and address the issues of its people in order to avoid environmentally induced conflicts.” To do this, he called for efforts to “securitize the ground,” which he defined as “creating a wider global political awareness of DLDD [desertification, land degradation and drought] and their societal consequences. It is making combating DLDD a key international political commitment and upgrading DLDD to the security realm.” In this regard, he highlighted the importance of taking “reactive and proactive short-, medium and long-term strategies for coping with desertification (soil depletion/soil insecurity) by exposing its manifold societal, environmental and economic consequences.” [The Statement]

The insurance project represents a strategy for local herders to adapt to the frequent drought conditions in marginal areas for agriculture. The insurance scheme is a joint project between partners from different sectors, including private insurance companies and national and international research institutions. The film describes the potential for similar insurance schemes to be developed across Africa. [The Film]

date: 5 September 2010  
location: Stockholm (Stockholms Lan), Sweden  
contact: Emmanuel Chinyamakobvu, UNCCD Secretariat  
phone: (49-228) 815 2819  
fax: (49-228) 815 2898/9  
e-mail: echinyamakobvu@unccd.int  
www: http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/announce/seminar_water_desertification.php  

He underlined that climate change, desertification and land disputes can be drivers of conflict. He concluded by noting that Security Council efforts to address the additional challenges will be “the best way of bringing about real protection for civilians.” [The Statement]

The report recommends urgent action to assist pastoralists cope with the rising impacts of climate change, including strategies by governments to facilitate safe passage across borders in the Horn and East Africa region. Key findings include that the effects of climate change and its impact on pastoral communities are now more conspicuous than ever, with evidence pointing to increasing levels of migration and conflict over often scarce resources. According to the report, vulnerability, a lack of preparedness, and appropriate, timely and relevant responses to natural disasters have left millions in need of humanitarian assistance.

The Security Mobility Initiative is an inter-agency partnership among the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Institute for Security Studies. [IISD RS Sources] [UN Press Release] [Link to Synthesis of the Report]

During the meeting the Council approved major reforms designed to give developing countries and stakeholders more control and access to funds, including: direct access to GEF resources for recipient countries looking to meet various UN convention requirements; streamlined GEF project cycle and a move to a more refined and strategic programmatic investment approach; reformed GEF’s Country Support Program with$26 million in funding. The Council also agreed to initiate a process to determine how best to integrate new agencies, including qualified national entities, into the GEF network.

In May 2010, during the sixth meeting of donors for the Fifth GEF Replenishment, held in Paris, France, over 30 countries pledged US$4.34 billion to fund projects with global environmental benefits during the next four years. The meeting of donors also agreed to channel US$1.3 billion to the climate change focal area. The financial pledges included some of the Fast Start Financing discussed at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference.

Commenting on the reforms, Monique Barbut, GEF CEO and Chairperson, stated that “the GEF Council has accorded long overdue recognition to the ability of countries to take the lead in the efficient and effective programming of their multilateral assistance.” [38th GEF Council Meeting Website] [Climate-L.org Story on the GEF Replenishment] [Joint Summary of the Chairs]

This research will follow past collaborations between ICARDA and ACSAD on topics including crop improvement, crop-livestock systems and biodiversity conservation. ICARDA is a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). [ICARDA Press Release]

The film follows the stories of Maasai herders in Kitengela, Kenya, who lost almost half of their livestock during the drought, as well as the story of a farmer in Kitui district. The film underscores the threats that the poor face to their livelihoods due to changes in climate. ILRI is a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). [News Release and Film]