Start here: how to find what you need in SPARC’s work

🖊️SPARC has ended, but our work remains vital for helping policymakers and practitioners navigate sustainable development in the drylands of Africa & the Middle East. Explore 200+ publications across 18 countries plus video & audio content: www.sparc-knowledge.org/navigating-s... #SPARCideas #IYRP

Africa’s drylands need the right kind of support – listening to the pastoralists who live there Africa’s drylands need support, but it shouldn’t overlook systems that people rely on.

As the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026 begins, read Guy Jobbins and Claire Bedelian in The Conversation about some key lessons from six years of SPARC research ➡️ theconversation.com/africas-dryl...

#SPARCideas #IYRP #IYRP2026 #pastoralism

Documenting Darfur’s war economy: interview with Sudanese SPARC researcher

Markets in #Darfur haven’t collapsed. They’ve adapted.

A new #SPARCideas Q&A with a Sudanese researcher explores how people get by through one of the most devastating conflicts: www.sparc-knowledge.org/news-blog/bl...

#Sudan @odi.global @ilri.org

🚨 Join us on 22 May for the webinar coorganised by SPARC alongside @socialprotection.org and @odi.global: "Do public works programmes create valuable assets for livelihoods and resilience in #Ethiopia and #Kenya?"

🕛 22 May 2025: 14:00 GMT+1
🔗Register: tinyurl.com/2hhb8fpv #SPARCideas

How to stop Nigeria’s worsening farmer-pastoralist violence A new Ministry of Livestock has been hailed as a key step in addressing worsening farmer-herder conflicts. The reality is more complicated.

Nigeria's new Ministry of Livestock has been hailed as a key step in addressing worsening farmer-herder conflicts. The reality is more complicated.

📢 Read the new article by SPARC researcher Sarli Nana: www.thenewhumanitarian.org/opinion/2025...

#SPARCideas #pastoralism #Nigeria

How can policy & investments empower women & drive prosperity in drylands?

Don’t miss our webinar on May 15 on ‘Women & pastoral livelihoods’ – we’ll explore scalable, #gender-inclusive solutions for resilient & sustainable livestock systems: ed-ac-uk.zoom.us/webinar/regi... #SPARCIdeas

SPARC researchers are working with policymakers in #Kenya to support sustainable development in drylands & protect #pastoralists' rights.

Check our new blog on how we’re supporting the review of Kenya’s national land policy: bit.ly/3Y1wcXQ

#SPARCIdeas @fao.org (📸by Sweder Breet / Unsplash)

🧵What impact has civil war had on markets and trade in #Sudan?

The latest SPARC briefs shed light on the profound impacts of war on #Darfur's trade networks since April 2023.

#SPARCideas (1/3)

Behavioural and norms-responsive animal health systems for pastoralists in Ethiopia and Kenya SPARC partnered with MarketShare Associates to conduct a field-based study on gender-inclusive animal health services (AHS) delivery in pastoral communities across Ethiopia and Kenya.

How can governments and business better support the livestock trade & pastoralists’ livelihoods?

This new brief sets out how improving access to and delivery of animal health services in Kenya & Ethiopia – including for women – is key: bit.ly/3DRVSPw
#SPARCIdeas #gender @fao.org

Causes of Farmer–Herder Conflicts In Africa This new report provides insights into the causes of farmer–herder conflict, uncovering trends and potential gaps in understanding.

Today @ilri.org's Fiona Flintan is sharing #SPARCideas research on how to mitigate impacts of farmer-herder conflict in the #Sahel at a forum, as part of ‘ACRES-WA: Advancing Climate Resilience & Environmental Security in W Africa’ project.

Read our work on farmer-herder conflicts: bit.ly/3FaxskH

A review of approaches to the integration of humanitarian and development aid: the case of drought management in the Horn of Africa This study reviews approaches to the integration of humanitarian and development aid directed at drought management in the Horn of Africa

Why have attempts to link #humanitarian help & long-term #development had limited success when tackling #drought in the Horn of #Africa?

Our researchers' new journal article looks at how a lack of #community participation w/ #pastoralists is part of the problem: bit.ly/4jAO5FM #SPARCideas

What anticipatory action can learn from existing disaster risk management in the Horn of Africa

🔭Anticipatory action can help reduce the impact of disasters in the Horn of Africa - so what is preventing it from being scaled up?

Our new blog looks at how existing disaster risk management strategies can inform #AnticipatoryAction: www.sparc-knowledge.org/anticipatory... #SPARCideas

⏯️☕️Today's 3-minute #SPARCideas: SPARC researcher Alexis Teyie on #pastoralists' quick take-up of digital technologies, and what this means for future lives and livelihoods in #Africa's #drylands: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHMF... #pastoralism

⏯️☕Today's 3-minute #SPARCideas: SPARC researcher Muzzamil Abdi Sheikh on why increasingly complex crises - in countries like his home Somalia - require a change in the way we think about development:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdYK...

✏️This week the SPARC team has been busy in Naivasha, working to synthesise 5 years of SPARC research into #drylands #development.

Watch this space for more on our key messages - and stay up to date with our newsletter here: sparc-knowledge.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=... #SPARCideas

🏆SPARC's partner, the Nigerian NGO FUDECO, has won the UN-POLAC award for its work w/ #pastoralists in Nigeria’s #drylands.

Find out more about the award & FUDECO's work here:👉www.sparc-knowledge.org/news-blog/news/sparc-par... #SPARCideas @katharinevincent.bsky.social

Climate change costs Somalia $2.84 billion in agricultural losses Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia is grappling with the devastating impact of climate change, which has inflicted $2.84 billion in agricultural and livestock losses over two decades. A new report by SPARC (Su...

👁️‍🗨️Spotted: #SPARCideas research in Somali publication Hiiraan Online.

In 2024, SPARC published data on #LossAndDamage across 18 countries in Africa.

It found that, 2000-2021, climate-linked disasters cost #Somalia 4.5% of its agricultural GDP annually.

Read more▶️ www.hiiraan.com/news4/2024/D...

A look back at #SPARCideas' digital impact in 2024.

✉️SPARC is a research-to-action programme comanaged by @odi.global, @ilri-cgiar.bsky.social, Mercy Corps and Cowater. Sign up to our newsletter to stay updated in 2025: sparc-knowledge.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...

We're new to BlueSky!🎉

🖱️Follow us to find out more about SPARC's work informing more effective development interventions in the drylands of #Africa and the #MiddleEast - and find out more about what we do here: www.sparc-knowledge.org #SPARCideas

📸Sam Sheridan/Mercy Corps