The 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2–13 December 2024. This year’s UNCCD COP16, commemorating the Convention’s 30th anniversary, will address urgent challenges related to land degradation, drought resilience, and sustainable land management.
Desertification, the degradation of arable land, poses a critical threat to climate adaptation, food security, and global stability. Degraded lands lose their capacity to absorb carbon emissions, exacerbating climate change, while the loss of fertile land leads to increased conflict and displacement.
A highlight of the event is the launch of the CGIAR’s Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands, led by ICRISAT and ICARDA, in collaboration with other CGIAR centers, highlighting innovations and partnerships essential for building resilient dryland ecosystems.
ICRISAT will also participate in the CGIAR Food & Agriculture Pavilion at COP16 from December 3-12, where scientists and experts from CGIAR centers will showcase their efforts to develop scalable solutions for combating desertification and promoting sustainable land use.
Session: Perennial Crops: A Dependable and Cost-effective Solution to Vulnerable Ecosystems in the Drylands
Time: 9:00-10:30am
Panelist: Dr Ephrem Habyarimana
Moderator: Dr Sean Mayes
Location: MET-07
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Session: Tackling Water Scarcity and Drought: Sustainable Solutions for Food Systems and Ecosystem Health in a Climate-Constrained World
Time: 11:00-12:30pm
Panelist: Dr ML Jat
Location: MET-05
Session: Convergence Model for Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture: Building Sustainable Agri-Food Systems for Healthier Communities
Time: 1:00 - 2:30pm
Panelist: Dr Victor Afari-Sefa
Moderator: Dinesh Kumar Chauhan
Location: CGIAR Food Pavilion
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Session: UNCCD Press Conference / Launch of the CGIAR 2030 Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands - Pioneering Agri-Science for Thriving Global Dryland Communities
Time: 2:00 - 3:00pm
Panelist: Dr Stan Blade, Dr ML Jat
Facilitator: Parkavi Kumar
Location: MET-17
Session: Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands – Implementation Session
Time: 3:00 - 4:30pm
Panelist: Dr Stan Blade
Facilitator: Parkavi Kumar
Location: CGIAR Food Pavilion
Session: Agrifood Systems Transormation: Experiences of the Sustainable Rural Agriculture Development programme of Saudi Arabia
Time: 1:00-2:30 pm
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Location: Blue Zone, MET-02, UNCCD COP16
Session: Keynote speech: Enablers of agrifood systems transition: mixing tools to support small holder farmers transitioning towards more resilient systems
Time: 3:00 - 5:00pm
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Session: Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture for Healthier Communities
Time: 6:00 - 7:30pm
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Location: MET-03
Achieving Food Security, Trade and Transformation through the Regional Wheat, Millets and Sorghum Value Chain
Time: 11:00 - 12:30pm
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Location: CGIAR Food Pavilion
Unlocking Food Security, Trade and Transformation through the Regional Wheat, Millets and Sorghum Value Chain
Time: 11:00 - 12:30pm
Panelist: Rebbie Harawa
Facilitator: Lydia Murimi, Bashir Jama (IsDB Project Consultant)
Location: CGIAR Food Pavilion
Session: The Role of Gene Banks to Combat Desertification
Time: 1:30-3:00 pm
Panelist: Ramesh Singh
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Location: Science Pavilion, Green Zone
Session: Multifunctional landscapes for building resilience and land degradation neutrality in drylands of Global South
Time: 3:30 - 5:00pm
Panelist: MacDonald Bright Jumbo
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Location: MET-08
Session: Perennial Crops: A Dependable and Cost-effective Solution to Vulnerable Ecosystems in the Drylands
Time: 3:30 - 5:00pm
Panelist: Ramesh Singh
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Location: MET-08
Director General-Interim & Deputy Director General-Research
Director-Africa
Global Program Director, Accelerated Crop Improvement
Global Program Director, Enabling Systems Transformation
Global Program Director, Resilient Farm and Food Systems
Principal Scientist - Sorghum Breeding
Head - Agribusiness and Innovation Platform
Country Representative – Ethiopia
Senior Scientist - Crop Improvement Operations
Cluster Leader – ICRISAT Development Center & Principal Scientist – Soil and Water Conservation
Director-Business Development
Associate Manager-Communications
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04 Dec 2024