International Network for the Sustainability of Drylands

The International Network for the Sustainability of Drylands is comprised of various members from diverse sectors like academic and government institutions, non-governmental associations, civil associations, students, and the civil society including indigenous communities. These members are organized to analyze collaborative actions that strengthen a research agenda for the dryland regions and respond to the UN sustainable development goals. For these actions, the network requires the implementation of multilateral and inter-institutional collaborations, which are inclusive considering all the stakeholders including the decision-makers. It also provides the possibility to establish strong collaborations with members of Latin-American, North Africa and Europe.

Drylands cover 40% of the Earth surface and they are home of 40% of the human population. They are one of the most extensive, diverse and vulnerable socio-ecological systems around the world, where 30% of the global biodiversity “hotspots” are located, offering ecosystem services with high economic, biotic and cultural value; also containing broad traditional and indigenous ecological knowledge of peasant, pastoralist and fishing communities. The synergy between land degradation, climate change, loss of biodiversity and the need for human wellbeing, requires a joint approach that addresses in a multi-sectoral setting the strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation, the control of land degradation, the protection of dryland ecosystems and the promotion of social development.