DIE was co-hosting a session at the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) Bonn Digital Conference 2020. Together with our partners and conference participants, we explored research and policy pathways for improved drought risk management through landscape approaches and social protection interventions across the African continent in times of ‘double crisis’: global warming and the coronavirus pandemic.

Programme

Opening keynote: Imme Scholz, Deputy Director, German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE)

Sub-Session 1: Drought Risk Management: Pro-active drought management is multi-sectorial, but healthy landscapes are key in rural areas. Drought, particularly if in combination with weak or inactive governments, is a threat for ecosystems and for poor people in poor countries. Drought frequency and severity are increasing and tipped to increase further in many parts of the world due to climate change. Countries are challenged to change from a reactive to a pro-active, risk management approach. Starting with a broad overview of comprehensive drought risk management, the session will then highlight how drought risk mitigation can support natural resource management. Ample room is provided to discuss with researchers, activists, development agency representatives and a panel of people from the headquarters of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

Sub-Session 2: Natural Resource Management: Natural resources are the basis for well-being and (drought) resilience in rural area. Agro-ecosystems in a broad sense, including agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishery, form the basis of livelihoods of rural populations in developing countries. Keeping them healthy is a key ingredient of ecological diversity and stability, human wellbeing and resilience to many risks and disasters including milder forms of drought. The session will start with introducing the concept of Land Degradation Neutrality, a key concept of ecological sustainability on land anchored in the Sustainability Development Goals, and provide examples from research and development which help rural people improve their productive, sustainable and resilience-enhancing use of natural resources.

Sub-Session 3: Social Protection: The role of social protection in promoting social and ecological resilience to droughts. Social protection programmes are key to assisting the very poor and vulnerable to cope with income and security shocks caused by droughts. Such programmes can also be instrumental in implementing nature-based solutions for drought prevention; protecting productive assets threatened by droughts including natural capital; and channelling emergency aid into building back better through investments in ecological resilience. This session will bring together scientists, policy makers, donors and conference participants to discuss the implications of climate change and the current COVID-19 crisis for drought risk management, food security and ecological resilience in the rural regions of Africa, and the role of social protection in responding to this ‘triple crisis’.

DIE Experts:

• Michael Bruentrup, Senior Researcher, Drought Risk Management and Rural Development
• Mariya Aleksandrova, Senior Researcher, Climate Risk Governance and Management
• Christoph Strupat, Senior Researcher, Social Protection and Health Economics

Acknowledgement: This event was co-funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the Klimalog Project.