Biodiversity for Resilience: Harnessing crops’ potential for drylands restoration and climate change adaptation

The session will explore the power of crop diversity through two lenses: the scientific lens and the gastronomic lens. Two panels will include experts working on resilient, drought-resistant crops on the African continent, as well as under-utilized crops, tropical forages, and food trees with potential to restore drylands (predominantly in the Sahel). The session will also include chefs and entrepreneurs harnessing the potential of these crops to promote more delicious, nutritious, and climate-friendly options around food. In the first panel, the experts will look into key crops and food trees that present an astounding potential to tackle the main challenges associated with climate change and land degradation in the region, and will explore ways to foster greater conservation and sustainable use of these crops to enhance breeding programs and farmers’ livelihoods. The second panel will gather organizations and individuals working on the ground to create nature-based solutions around agrobiodiversity and sustainable agriculture in Africa’s drylands.