The report has a dual objective:
- to illustrate the constraints, opportunities and potential for the sustainable rural and agricultural development of dry areas;
- to make recommendations for decision-makers and operators involved in international development cooperation with a view to consolidating policies supporting the sustainability of the production systems in these areas.
This report is based on a series of case studies which highlight specific development cooperation experiments and provide support for more theoretical considerations. The aim is to identify courses of action geared towards the sustainable management of agro-ecosystems in dry areas and to analyse their integration in the adaptation and planning strategies of rural territories. In doing so, the report facilitates progress in defining the specific challenges facing these areas, in particular in terms of development of technical innovations, governance of land and natural resources, involvement of the local communities, support for family farming activities, promotion of agricultural products from dry areas and consolidation of public policies.