About Us
 Countries
The Desert Margins Program (DMP) is a collaborative effort convened by
ICRISAT that unites nine African
countries straddling the desert margins that ring the heart of Africa: Botswana,
Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali, Namibia, Niger, Senegal, South Africa and Zimbabwe. A
large proportion of the 120 million inhabitants of these countries depend on
farming and livestock-raising for their food supplies and income. But rainfall
is low and unreliable in these areas, while human and livestock populations are
increasing—depleting the land of its vegetative
cover, and exposing its soils to erosion and biodiversity loss. This traps people in
a cycle of poverty.
The goal of the DMP is to help these countries arrest land degradation through more sustainable practices and systems that improve
livelihoods. The DMP pursues this goal through partnership-based
research-for-development activities, demonstration to farmers, and
capacity-building.
International, regional and local partners
In addition to ICRISAT as convenor and active participant, the nine DMP
countries are assisted by four other Centers of the Future Harvest Alliance of
Centers supported by the CGIAR (Consultative Group on
International Agricultural Research): ICRAF, ICRISAT, IFDC, ILRI and
TSBF-CIAT (acronyms defined here). In addition, three advanced research
institutes from the developed world contribute their expertise in specific areas
(CEH, CIRAD and IRD). Regional networks (ASARECA, CORAF, and SADC-FANR) and
non-governmental organizations are also core participants. For definitions of
these acronyms and a full list of partners, go to the Partnerships link at the top of this page.
Governance
The DMP is governed by a Steering Committee that meets yearly, under the
aegis of ICRISAT's Governing Board. The DMP's hub is a Coordination Unit based
at ICRISAT's station near Niamey, Niger. National Coordinating Committees
perform the analogous function in each country.
Financing
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has committed US$11 million to the DMP,
and subject to the expected satisfactory progress, will provide another US$5
million in 2007. This complements a $15 million commitment from the nine
countries, plus $19 million committed by other development investors: Denmark (DANIDA),
the European Union (EU), France, GEF, Canada's International Development
Research Centre (IDRC), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD),
Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), Japan, Norway, and
the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Summing these
figures, the DMP is a $50 million effort over the period 2002-2008.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the
GEF Implementing Agency for the DMP.
ICRISAT is the project
Executing Agency.
History
The GEF support since 2002 has shifted the DMP into high gear. It was made
possible through an intensive, participatory project development phase supported
by ICRISAT, GEF and UNEP during 2001. But the roots of the program trace back to
1993. That history is recounted here.
Learn about the DMP logo
For more information contact:
The Desert Margins Global Coordination Office
ICRISAT-Niamey
BP 12404
Niamey
Niger
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