2026-04-14 - ✨Project Spotlight: Advancing Systemic Solutions in Desert Agriculture (IDFRL project, Egypte)
✨ Project Spotlight: Advancing Systemic Solutions in Desert Agriculture
We are pleased to highlight the successful completion of the Integrated Desert Farming for Resilient Livelihoods (IDFRL) project involving our member @Abebe Bezaiet Dessalegn and led by ICARDA, showcasing the power of multi-actor, systemic approaches in desert farming systems.
Funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the project was implemented by ICARDA in close partnership with Egypt’s Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Desert Research Center (DRC), and National Water Research Center (NWRC).
🌍 A strategic vision for resilient desert agriculture
The project demonstrated how integrated and science-based solutions can support the development of climate-resilient farming systems in Egypt’s drylands.
By adopting a social–ecological systems approach, it addressed interconnected challenges such as resource scarcity, isolation, limited market access, and climate vulnerability.
🤝 Co-designing solutions with farmers
A key strength of the project was its participatory and inclusive approach, engaging farmers through:
- On-farm demonstrations
- Field days across five governorates
- Farmer-to-farmer knowledge-sharing videos
- Training of trainers for researchers and technicians
- Experience-sharing sessions to foster collective learning
📈 Impact beyond expectations
The project significantly exceeded its initial target, reaching far more than the expected 3,450 beneficiaries — a strong testament to the effectiveness of systemic, co-designed interventions.
💡 What we learn
This initiative is a powerful example of how systems thinking and multi-stakeholder collaboration can drive sustainable and scalable impact in challenging environments.