Communicating the CGIAR's Contributions to the Global Fight against Desertification

The United Nations has designated 2006 the International Year of Deserts and Desertification, and June 17 was World Desertification Day. The CGIAR’s Marketing Group (an informal network of communications and resource mobilization professionals working in the CGIAR) is implementing a series of initiatives throughout the year to help call attention to CGIAR Center research that contributes to global efforts under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

On June 13 a media briefing held in Nairobi emphasized the CGIAR’s strong commitment to curbing desertification and specific research achievements at the World Agroforestry Centre and ILRI in Kenya. Twenty-seven journalists attended the event, representing mainly national and regional media. They were briefed by CIAT director general Joachim Voss, on behalf of the CGIAR, and by Center scientists and partners working in Kenya, including a Masai pastoralist, who very ably represented his community. The new media unit of the CGIAR System Office (operated by Catherine Mgendi, who has just recently joined us), the Secretariat and communicators from various Centers jointly organized the event, which resulted in coverage of Center research in both print and broadcast media.

On June 19-21, ICRISAT and ICARDA scientists contributed actively to the International Scientific Conference on Desertification and Drylands Research, held at Tunis and organized principally by UNESCO and the Tunisian Ministry of the Environment. ICRISAT director general Willie Dar gave one of the keynote addresses. The Marketing Group helped heighten the profile of the CGIAR in this event by promoting a news release on Center research with the approximately 35 journalists attending, by providing an attractive display and through an information packet highlighting the relevance and impact of CGIAR research to key issues and regions.

On 23 June at New Delhi, eight Centers (CIMMYT, CIP, ICRAF, ICRISAT, ILRI, IPGRI, IRRI and IWMI) took part in a well-attended media dialog on the contributions of their research to the fight against desertification in Asia. Forty national and international journalists were present, representing 35 print and broadcast media. Speaking on behalf of the Centers, Willie Dar announced the official launch of a new CGIAR System-wide program called Oasis, which will seek to better integrate and coordinate the efforts of the eight Centers to contain desertification worldwide (www.oasisglobal.net).

In addition, the Marketing Group has commissioned SciDev, a major electronic platform for science communication, to develop a “desert science dossier,” containing an introduction to desertification as well as news, features and opinion articles (www.scidev.net/desertscience). The dossier will be updated throughout the year with new material, including policy briefs and case studies, providing a valuable service for anyone wishing to keep abreast of dryland issues.