ICPALD, SPARC and Jameel Observatory held a policy and practice dialogue focusing on the sustainable development of drylands. Co-convened by the three institutions, the event took place on October 1st & 2nd, 2025 at the Movenpick Hotel in Nairobi.
In opening, H.E. Mohamed Abdi Ware, IGAD Deputy Executive Secretary, said, “There needs to be a change in narrative from drylands being problematic areas to a narrative of drylands being dynamic, resilient, productive, with resourceful people managing their lives under difficult circumstances.”
“This is an opportunity to share our narratives and policies, providing insight from different experiences” added Dr. Dereje Wakjira, ICPALD Director.
The conference brought together development partners and investors, NGOs, INGOs, Financial Institutions, Governments, Civil Society Actors, Pastoral Associations, Policy and Research Organizations, Researchers, Policy Makers. They examined what investment in resilience and development looks like in some of the world’s most fragile and hard-to-reach places, and how to realize the dynamism of pastoralists, agro-pastoralists and smallholder farmers in drylands.
The dialogue offered opportunities to reframe narratives and policies around pastoralism as pathways to prosperity, calling for actions that better reflect these communities’ dynamism and resilience, in the face of complex challenges such as drought, insecurity and climate change.
Discussions shed light on valuable insights into pastoralism in view of upcoming regional and global milestones, such as the 2026 International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP17.
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About the Hosts
The IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD), Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent and Protracted Crises (SPARC) and Jameel Observatory for Food Security Early Action are committed to building the resilience and prosperity of pastoralists and dryland communities.
ICPALD’s participation was supported by the Government of Sweden through Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and International Development Research Centre (IDRC) /Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
