First Africa drylands week

An integrated approach to address Africa’s abiding challenges of desertification and biodiversity loss, and the new climate change threat is the subject of the First Africa Drylands Week in Dakar, Senegal, from June 10-17. It will be held back-to-back with the global observance event on June 17 to mark this year’s World Day to Combat Desertification.

The First Africa Drylands Week and this year’s World Day to Combat Desertification are part of 2011 International Year of Forests celebrating forests for people. The arid zone forests support the livelihoods of a large proportion of its two billion people inhabitants of the drylands.