ICRISAT'S research program on Resilient Dryland Systems

1. Sep 2011
IMOD
Innovate Grow Prosper
Inclusive Market Oriented Development
Research Program
Resilient Dryland Systems
Vision: A prosperous, food-secure and resilient dryland tropics
Goal : Reducing vulnerability to drought and climate change while increasing diversity and value
System perspective
Integrated approach that combines component technologies and practices within
natural resources and social and policy contexts, and includes the analysis of
trade-offs and constraints
Activities include:
• Analysis and integration of biological and socio-economic or livelihood systems
• Impacts and trade-offs in biological and livelihood systems across different
scales
Adaptation to climate change (CRP7/CCAFS)
• Ex-ante modeling crop management and genetic traits for future climates
• Analogue sites for learning and testing adaptation practices
• GHG emissions and mitigation under current and intensified smallholder
dryland systems.
Sustainable intensification and managing risk (CRP1.1)
• Site-specific nutrient management and micro-dosing
• Conservation effective agriculture
• Crop-livestock-tree systems
• Developing market linkages and innovation platforms for livestock-crop systems
• Diversification of livelihoods, especially for women
• Improving crop management of legumes and cereals.
Water, land and ecosystems (CRP5)
• Integrated water management through model watersheds, capacity building
and policy advocacy
• Cropping and irrigation systems to increase water productivity and profitability
• Modeling impact watershed interventions at scale
• Decision-support systems for water and nutrients.
Resilient Dryland Systems (RDS) works across three main CGIAR Research Programs
(CRPs) – CRPs 1.1, 5 and 7. RDS works with CRP3s (crop improvement) on crop
management and with CRP2 (Policies, Institutions and Markets to Strengthen Food
Security and Incomes for the Rural Poor) on resilience
RDS will focus its research activities in priority areas/sites of the CRP1.1, 5 and 7, using
systems perspectives to build synergies between CRPs