Overview of drylands development communication initiatives in Africa

Haramata, IIED's bulletin of the drylands, is advocating African perspectives on the future of Africa’s drylands. In response to an evaluation of Haramata, IIED is exploring ways to transform the bulletin into a broader communications programme under Africa-based editorial management and responsibility to provide a research-policy-practice platform for debating and disseminating African perspectives on different development pathways for Africa's drylands. As part of developing a strategy and fundraising plan for this broader communications programme, this survey explores what other communication initiatives there are on drylands development, so as to learn from their experiences, to identify gaps and avoid overlap, and to explore possibilities for collaboration. The survey is not comprehensive, but has targeted the organisations seeming to be most valuable for forming the new strategy and as possible future partners. There is also a short overview of other major initiatives playing a role in drylands of Africa, as well as some specific communications initiatives. Only international, regional and cross-border initiatives were included and mainly English speaking organisations and individuals in eastern Africa. Organisations focusing on relief assistance were excluded.