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Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture
in Recurrent and Protracted Crises

Dryland communities are often viewed as places of humanitarian crises in need of aid. Recent debates around investment in dryland resilience still follow humanitarian models of standardised aid packages to vulnerable communities. We know very little about how effective different investments are to support people in drylands who face shocks and crises.

SPARC aims to create, evaluate, synthesise and share existing and new knowledge to better understand how investments affect conflict; the ways that different land management institutions can help to manage conflicts and protect the interests of diverse communities - including pastoralists; and how governments and institutions can support markets to function through crises and in recovery.

Featured resources

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Two young Sudanese boys with livestock in the drylands (c) Mercy Corps Publications

Dynamism in the drylands of South Sudan

This report looks at volatility in South Sudan's drylands, and discusses the short-term strategies pastoralists use when responding to emerging threats and the longer-term changes to their priorities.
Huge herds of camels drink from the permanent water source at Guelta d'Archei in the Ennedi Mountains of northeastern Chad - Image by David Stanley - CC BY 2.0 Publications

Issue brief: Transboundary climate risks to African dryland livestock economies

This brief explores how policies at the sub-national, national and regional levels can help and hinder options for the management of transboundary climate risks at local, national and regional levels.
Researchers interview women in Hayin Ade - image by Maryam Yusuf Bayero FUDECO Publications

Livelihoods, conflict and mediation: Nigeria

This research is the first in a series of longitudinal studies into the impact of violent and non-violent conflict on lives and livelihoods, and mediation dynamics, in Nigeria and Somalia.
Camels on sale at Burao livestock market - Image by ILRI - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Publications

Livelihoods, conflict and mediation: Somalia

This report is the second in a series highlighting learning emerging from a longitudinal study examining violent and non-violent conflict and mediation dynamics in Somalia and Nigeria.

Latest news and features

Young Sudanese woman in yellow with livestock in village (c) Mercy Corps Features

Dynamism in the drylands: How pastoral livelihoods are changing in South Sudan

Volatility in South Sudan and the world’s drylands raises questions as to the long-term viability of pastoral livelihoods. A new report from SPARC begins to answer them.
Somali region drought response - Image by Mulugeta Ayene / Unicef Ethiopia - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 News

Opportunity: Post-Doctoral Fellowships at the International Livestock Research Institute

SPARC partner the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) announces two new post-doctoral fellowships in anticipatory action and humanitarian relief and resilience programming.
Men unload sacks of onions in a farmers market in Bamako, Mali - Image by Dominic Chavez / World Bank - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Features

We need more action to reform how climate finance is raised, directed and accessed in West Africa

Changing the way that climate finance is raised, directed and accessed in West Africa is long overdue. Here SPARC shares what needs to be done.

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