CDA to host global drylands conference to reimagine Africa’s rangelands

As Africa grapples with the dual challenge of food insecurity and environmental degradation, Bayero University Kano’s Centre for Dryland Agriculture (CDA) is stepping into the spotlight with a bold agenda.

The Centre is set to host the 5th International Conference on Drylands, focusing on the future of rangelands — the lifeline of millions in arid and semi-arid regions across the continent.

Speaking during a media briefing on Monday, the Director of CDA, Professor Jibrin M. Jibrin, announced that the conference will be held from May 6 to 8, 2025, at the university’s CBN Centre of Excellence.

SolaceBase reports that the conference theme, “Promoting Sustainability and Resilience of Rangelands: Present and Future Outlooks,” underscores the urgency of rethinking land use amid mounting climate pressures.

“Rangelands make up more than 40% of the Earth’s surface and sustain over half a billion people globally, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa,” Professor Jibrin said.

Read Also: Promoting climate-smart agriculture through farmers’ empowerment scheme

“But climate change, conflict, and poor land governance threaten their future. This conference is our response.”

The event will bring together academics, policymakers, pastoralists, civil society, and development partners to discuss sustainable rangeland management and conflict-sensitive land-use strategies.

Highlights include keynote speeches by global experts, sessions on climate-smart livestock, land restoration, and a high-level policy panel on transforming Nigeria’s rangelands for food security.

Participants will also embark on field visits across northern Nigeria to observe sustainable agricultural and rangeland practices in action.

Organizers hope the event will shape national and continental policies, feeding into broader goals like the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the African Union Agenda 2063.

The CDA, supported by the World Bank and the Agence Française de Développement, continues to position itself as a thought leader on dryland innovation.

Through its biennial conferences, it fosters critical dialogue on Africa’s most pressing ecological and socio-economic challenges.

“Ultimately,” Professor Jibrin added, “this is not just about science – it’s about people, their livelihoods, and the land they depend on.”