COP16 | Could agriculture and pastoralism help fight desertification?

Event 19 December 2024

Pastoralism is a vital lever for land restoration and sustainable natural resource management. This was the key message relayed by CIRAD at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Saudi Arabia, which ended on 13 December. We look back at this "little COP", which is growing in importance.

The French delegation at COP16, with CIRAD geographer Jean-Daniel Cesaro © CSFD
The French delegation at COP16, with CIRAD geographer Jean-Daniel Cesaro © CSFD

The basics

40% of the world's land is degraded, a quarter of it arable land
The creation of an expert group (the equivalent of the IPCC for desertification) was confirmed at this COP16
Contrary to a common belief, pastoralism plays a key role in land restoration and natural resource renewal.

"Agricultural and food issues and pastoralism were centre-stage at this COP16", says Jean-Daniel Cesaro, a geographer with CIRAD specializing in movements linked to livestock farming within territories. "Notably in two negotiations on emerging topics for the Convention: one on sustainable farming systems and the other on rangelands and herders."

This global summit, devoted to sustainable land management and the fight against desertification, was a chance for CIRAD to rely a key message: although livestock farming is often seen in international talks as a factor for land degradation, pastoralism, on the contrary is a vital lever for ecosystem restoration and sustainable natural resource management. Extensive livestock farming in dry regions should therefore be supported, in view of its agroecological nature and because it concerns almost 70% of the world's arid and semi-arid zones.

Much is expected of science, which is increasingly recognized

"In these arenas, our role is to provide institutional partners, private players and civil society organizations with robust scientific results", Jean-Daniel Cesaro observes. Through the French delegation and the Comité scientifique français de lutte contre la désertification (CSFD), he was able to observe the growing recognition of the importance of science on the part of the various parties. This was clearly demonstrated by the perpetuation of the science-policy interface and of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Science and Technology Committee, which are intended to conduct a scientific review of the extent of desertification.

Through several contributions to side-events, notably during the day on food systems, CIRAD was able to present innovative solutions for restoring degraded land and supporting local communities. "Agroecology and pastoralism are crucial levers for fighting desertification, which is being exacerbated by climate change. Our aim is to promote sustainable land management practices, in order to achieve neutrality in terms of land degradation", Jean-Daniel Cesaro adds.

The 17th desertification COP will be held in 2026 in Ulan-Bator, Mongolia. CIRAD is sure to be there, particularly since the event will be part of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP).