SPARC Knowledge
Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent and Protracted Crises (SPARC) is a six-year programme which informs more feasible and cost-effective policies and investments in the drylands of Africa and the Middle East.
Since 2020, SPARC research has been informing policies, practices and investments to better support the resilience of dryland communities in Africa and the Middle East. It does so by addressing evidence gaps on the effectiveness of different programmes and policies, and using the evidence it generates to support donors, governments, and the aid sector to more effectively engage in the drylands.
SPARC sets out to influence a few key matters in debate, including:
- How can pastoralists, agropastoralists and farmers be supported to improve their resilience in the face of multiple shocks and protracted crises?
- What does effective aid and climate action look like in areas affected by conflict or protracted crises?
- How do livestock markets support people living in the drylands, and how can they be made more effective, equal and resilient?
- How are natural resources managed in the drylands, how is this changing, and what does land tenure security look like for pastoralists?
- What innovative technologies and processes can be scaled up to support people living in the drylands?
- What does transboundary climate risk management look like in the drylands, and how can the international community scale up climate finance and action in fragile and conflict-affected areas?
- What are the gaps in our understanding around gender, youth and disability?
