The initial impetus for the DDPA was to establish a mechanism for broad global research partnerships to contribute to the goals of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The DDPA maintains a close relationship with the UNCCD Secretariat and Global Mechanism. Several other UN partners are also playing a catalytic and/or partnership role, namely UNEP, UNDP, UNV (UN Volunteers) and FAO.

Two CGIAR Centers, ICARDA and ICRISAT tackle issues facing the temperate-zone and tropical drylands, respectively. Thus it was natural that they join efforts as the co-convening institutions for the DDPA. They began partnership-building by initiating an internet discussion on the concept and ideas behind the DDPA. More than 300 thoughtful contributions were posted by more than 100 scientists from around the world.

The consultation was crystallized in an intensive workshop hosted by ICARDA in Aleppo, Syria during 4-6 August 2002. This workshop was made possible through funding provided by the UNCCD Global Mechanism, IFAD, ICRISAT and ICARDA. More than 40 experts including UNEP-GEF, UNDP, IDRC, NARS from regional and subregional networks across Africa and Asia, the IUCN, universities, six CGIAR Centers, and several advanced research institutions participated.

The workshop solidified these partnerships around six research Themes. Within the UNCCD framework, the DDPA has established partnerships with the NARS and regional organizations in Africa and Asia. To mention just a few, in Sub-Saharan Africa the ASARECA, CORAF/WECARD, and SADC relationships are important, including the participation of their member institutes specializing on desertification-related issues such as INSAH/CILSS, CERAAS, SWMNET, DRFN, and the UNCCD Thematic Programme Network (TPN) for the Sahel on agroforestry, and on soil conservation led by INSAH.

In the West Asia-North Africa region the DDPA is building on the close links that were previously established through the Mashreq/Maghreb project convened by ICARDA, which has subsequently transformed into a regional dryland research-for-development program under the UNCCD umbrella. The DDPA is already linking with development projects in Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Algeria, and Iraq funded by IFAD, AFESD, UNDP and FAO. For Central Asia and the Caucasus, the DDPA is pursuing opportunities jointly with the Global Mechanism which has located a representative at the ICARDA office in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

In South Asia, ICRISAT's close relationship with the dryland institutes of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), specifically CAZRI and CRIDA are vital. The DDPA also links to the larger sub-region through the UNCCD's Thematic Programme Network for South Asia on agroforestry and soil conservation led by CAZRI. ICARDA and ICRISAT's longstanding collaboration with Pakistan establishes the foundation for partnership there. In China, the DDPA has engaged with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Soil and Fertilizer Institute - Center for Water Resource & Conservation Technologies (Beijing).

In addition to these cornerstone partnerships, the DDPA draws upon a global pool of expertise from both the developed and developing world. Ecological assessments, advisory services, and the participation of ecosystem approach specialists will be contributed by the IUCN Ecosystem Management Programme. The non-profit Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) is a world leader in genomics including an early pioneer in sequencing the human genome. Environmental Analysis & Remote Sensing (EARS) is a leading-edge spatial analysis firm in The Netherlands.The International Research Institute (IRI) for Climate Prediction, based at The Earth Institute at Columbia University (USA) uses advanced modeling to improve drought forecasts and their application to help developing countries cope with climatic fluctuations. Wageningen University in The Netherlands has a history of leadership in assessments of land degradation. The Agroforestry and Novel Crops Unit (ACNU) of the School of Tropical Biology at James Cook University in Cairns, Australia has special expertise on the domestication of wild tree crops.

Underpinning these partnerships will be the involvement of six CGIAR Centers: ICRISAT and ICARDA (co-convenors), ILRI, ICRAF, IFPRI, and TSBF/CIAT. They bring expertise in a range of dryland crop, livestock, tree and natural resource management systems along with partnerships bridging both developed and developing-world institutions.

Development investors are vital partners in the DDPA. Through their funding support and program guidance, they make it all possible. The DDPA partners are especially grateful to these investor-partners because their participation is evidence of their recognition of the power and potential of research to improve the lives of the dryland poor in major ways.

If you are as excited as we are about the potential to make a difference in the drylands through agricultural research, and have something to contribute to this unique Consortium, we would like to hear from you. Please contact us through the link at the bottom of this page.