Africa: The Drylands Dividend - the Smart Investment for Powering a Water-Scarce World

What the report says

A commentary published by Inter Press Service and distributed by AllAfrica argues that Africa’s drylands are a major but underrecognized economic and climate asset rather than empty terrain. The piece, dated September 1, 2026, and datelined Nairobi, uses examples such as gum arabic from the Sahel, frankincense from the Horn of Africa, shea from West Africa and cashmere from Mongolia to show how dryland regions already support global supply chains and livelihoods.

The authors say dryland communities have long managed water scarcity through diversified farming, livestock mobility and income streams that reduce risk during shocks. They present these practices as increasingly relevant as hotter, drier conditions spread and as climate events such as El Niño put more pressure on food systems. The article cites work in places including Mongolia and northern Ghana to illustrate how local knowledge, cooperative structures and market access can create more value from drylands when investment is aligned with community realities.

The commentary also says more finance is needed for infrastructure, insurance, land restoration and processing, and points to the European Union-backed Thrivelands initiative as one example of support for restoration and monitoring tools. It argues that private-sector buyers in agrifood, textiles and cosmetics have a financial stake in protecting dryland landscapes because their supply chains depend on them.

The broader message is that investing in drylands could help protect food security, climate resilience and carbon storage. The article frames this as urgent, noting a large remaining finance gap under UN desertification commitments and warning that the costs of inaction would be significant.