The Future of Drylands: International Scientific Conference on Desertification and Drylands Research, Tunis, Tunisia, 19-21 June 2006

The Future of Drylands International Scientific Conference on Desertification and Drylands Research Tunis, Tunisia, 19-21 June 2006

Cathy Lee • Thomas Schaaf Editors

The Future of Drylands International Scientific Conference on Desertification and Drylands Research Tunis, Tunisia, 19-21 June 2006

UNESCO Publishing

Cathy Lee

Thomas Schaaf

Published jointly by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 7, place de Fontenoy, 75007 Paris, France and Springer SBM, Van Godewijckstraat 30, PO Box 17, 3300 AA Dordrecht, The Netherlands. The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The authors are responsible for the choice and the presentation of the facts contained in this book and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization.

UNESCO 978-92-3-104052-8 Springer 978-1-4020-6969-7 e-ISBN Springer 978-1-4020-6970-3 Library of Congress Control Number: 2008931012 © UNESCO 2008 No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from UNESCO, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Printed on acid-free paper. 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 springer.com

Preface

The year 2006 was declared “International Year of Deserts and Desertification” by the United Nations General Assembly. Concerned by the exacerbation of desertification and its far-reaching implications for the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, in particular on poverty eradication, the year aimed at raising public awareness as well as protecting indigenous and local communities and the traditional knowledge of those affected by this phenomenon. The Year also aimed to protect the unique biological diversity of deserts. Home to an estimated two billion people and widespread poverty, the world’s drylands also host a surprising wealth of biodiversity – many of the plant, animal and fungal species are remarkable in their adaptation to the harsh climatic conditions prevailing in the drylands. Nomadic and pastoral groups have developed a wealth of indigenous knowledge acquired over centuries in managing limited water resources sustainably, which is seen today as an example of an adaptive strategy that combines both scientific research and tested traditional practices. The International Year was therefore also a celebration of this dynamic and harmonious existence, which is at the heart of sustainable development. Arid zones were at the centre of UNESCO’s earliest efforts at international scientific cooperation in the study of natural resources. UNESCO’s first international research programme dealing with arid zones was launched back in 1951. It was continued until 1964, after being raised to the status of a Major Project of the Organization in 1957 as a direct outcome of the International Arid Lands Meetings in New Mexico (USA). This Major Project was a pioneering effort in many respects. Not the least of merits was that it blazed a trail in its interdisciplinary approach to the study of natural resources and its holistic approach to the problems of arid and semi-arid zones. It was then followed by a series of other intergovernmental programmes having significant components relating to drylands, such as the UNESCO Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB), and the UNESCO International Hydrological Programme (IHP). To commemorate 50 years of drylands research in the UN System, UNESCO organised one of the leading events of the International Year – the international scientific conference on “The Future of Drylands” held from 19 to 21 June 2006 in Tunis, Tunisia. The conference mobilised twenty international partners such as UN specialised agencies and bodies, international organizations, governmental scientific v

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Preface

and environmental agem.:ies. agricultural I'l::search institu tes. and private donor organizations as well as more than 400 participants fro m over 50 countries. One of Ihe main objectives of lhe !;onference was 10 lake stock of the currenl scientifi(,; and. indigenous knowledge of drylami ecosystems so as to effectively implement national action programmes of lhe United Nations Convent ion 10 Combat Desertification. lL was also an occasion to identify important knowledge gaps for delining future drylands research priorities thaI wi ll help allain lhe Millenni um Development Goals. T he COnference pa]>t:rs assembled in this publication, prepared by leading dryland experts frOIll all !;onlinenls, provide an excellent overview o f the current state of knowledge of dryland e(.:osystems and their sustainable management. Onc o f thc major outcomcs of thc confcrcncc was thc Tllnis Dec/aratioll - a deel:lration 011 rcscarch priori tics to promotc sustainable dcvelopmcnt in dryl:mds that saw p:lrticipmlls joi n forccs lO formul:ltc an :lppcallO thc scientific, pol icy and dccisioll making comlllullity and civi l socicty to placc grcatcr importancc on the. global issuc of dcscrtificatioll and land ucg rauation, usi llg a ho listic appro:lch thal leads to dcvelopmcnt that is sustaill"ble as thc pri nciplc tcnct lO comb"t descrti fication. Confcrcllcc p:lrtic ipants callcd upon governmcnts "nu multilatcral c nvironment" l ag rccmcnts to usc sou nd scicntific knowledgc to formulatc and implcmcnl policics, laws, rcgu l:ltions :mu action programmcs vis-:I-vis cnvironmcntal issucs strcssing intcgratcd man:lgcmcnt of natural rcsources and cOllscrv"tion practiccs. Moreovcr, con fcrcncc participants requestcd thc scicntific comm uni ty to cnsurc its findings arc 1lJ