The Global Dryland Alliance (GDA) Founding Conference will kick-off today in Doha, a day before the World Food Day is celebrated globally and at a time when the challenges of providing food to the growing numbers of the world’s population are increasing,
The high-profile event will see the participation of 25 delegations representing countries from the Middle East, North Africa, Sahel, Central Africa, Central and East Asia, and South America and a number of international organisations.
The conference will witness the signing of the foundation treaty of the new organisation, established to face food insecurities in areas with dryland, and will be headquartered in Doha.
GDA is an initiative put forward by Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in a speech at the 68th UN General Assembly in 2013. The GDA foundation treaty was proposed to the countries that supported the initiative during a ministerial conference in Marrakesh on May 29-30, 2015.
The GDA initiative complements the global efforts to guarantee food security for a population of 3 billion in more than 50 countries around the world. The initiative is of great importance as the world population grows exponentially, with it expected to reach 9 billion by 2050 and as the global temperatures continue to rise and the ongoing threat of climate change making it more difficult to meet the required food needs.
International reports indicate that global food production must increase by 70 percent in 2050 with dryland nations being vulnerable to food crises and will face harsh cycles of drought, desertification, poverty and hunger.
GDA aims to find sustainable solutions for food insecurities and exchange help at tough times in order to achieve international peace and security.
The alliance also aims to establish wide cooperation with local, regional and international partners to find solutions, spread them and implement them to face obstacles found in agriculture, water and energy in dryland nations.
The alliance also aims to facilitate partnerships between the private and public sectors to finance and implement programs and projects for member states in all fields related to food security.
GDA is expected to follow complementary new approach based on integrated treatment to all aspects of food securities facing dryland nations, and will depend on strong private and public partnerships. It is also expected to find financing methods that lessen the burden on member states’ budgets with regards to programs and projects of food security.
The alliance will also facilitate the development of state-of-the-art food security policies among member states and use latest technologies in agriculture, irrigation, seeds, fertilisers, early warning of natural disasters and climate change as well as effective partnership during emergencies and crises, and will face food price fluctuations in global markets.
Food security is a growing obstacle to most of the dryland nations and has deep impact on them, and if the efforts are not unified to face these obstacles, sustainable development will become unachievable and, most importantly, regional and international political stability will be inexistent.
Drylands make up 40 percent of the Earth and house nearly three billion people, two thirds of whom rely on agriculture to secure their lives. Food security in drylands remains the main concern for inhabitants of poor rural areas who face fragile environment systems due to water scarcity, soil deterioration etc.
