The FAO Drylands and Agrosilvopastoral Systems Programme supports countries and communities in sustainably restoring, managing, and transforming dryland forests, rangelands, and agrosilvopastoral systems through integrated, inclusive, and science-based approaches.

At its core, the programme applies Integrated Landscape Approaches (ILM) across all dryland regions. This means working holistically across dry forests, rangelands, agrosilvopastoral systems, and mosaic dryland landscapes—recognizing the ecological, social, and economic interconnections that sustain them. 

The programme is people centred. It places pastoralists, livestock keepers, forest users, and Indigenous Peoples at the heart of decision-making and implementation. These communities are not beneficiaries; they are knowledge holders and long-standing stewards whose adaptive systems and cultural practices have shaped dryland landscapes for centuries. 

To create an enduring enabling environment for resilient dryland landscapes, the Programme operates through five complementary and interlinked pillars that connect knowledge, policy, and field action. We move beyond fragmented interventions by providing a holistic framework that braids together cutting-edge science with the invaluable local and Indigenous knowledge of dryland communities. By integrating these knowledge systems, the programme strengthens national capacities to effectively address climate risks, land degradation, biodiversity loss, and livelihood challenges while ensuring that solutions are socially just and rootedin local realities.

Ms. Houria Djoudi

Forestry Officer (Drylands)
FAO Forestry Division

email: [email protected]