"Arid Zones and Desertification Area" a place of exchanges and discovery of arid areas
Debate in the "Arid Zones and Desertification Area" tent during the 6th World Water Forum week © 6th World Water Forum / Christophe Taamourte
With the support of the Grassroots & Citizenship Commission of the 6th World Water Forum, the NGO CARI developed for the Forum week a specific area, made of a village of tents, which staged debates, film screenings, and exhibitions and documentation on oases and desertification areas. Around the tents, were arranged a tree of messages, a Saharan well, a comb distributor for water irrigation in oases, …
Exchanges between actors of drylands and meetings with the public
From Monday to Saturday, a program of 11 panels and 5 multi-stakeholder debates took place in the tent with water for development in countries affected by aridity and drought as the main theme. Experts discussed the constraints of the water cycle in the dry and arid zones, the development of innovative technologies and the need for specific policies.
A quiz of 12 questions distributed on site and with prizes, helped improve the knowledge of a more general public.
CARI’s guests, NGOs, researchers, elected community members, donors, representatives from 25 countries of governmental and intergovernmental organisations such as the FAO and the UNCCD, presented their products, moderated the debates and answering the many questions from visitors.
Throughout the week, various entertaining events took place such as such as a theatre forum on water governance, a cooperative board game on oases, and an evening concert with the Senegal River orchestra.
A number of personalities, such as the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Desertification, the agronomist Marc Dufumier and the film director Yann Arthus Bertrand also took part in the animations.
Many very positive testimonials were received from all kinds of visitors, often over a glass of mint tea offered by the women’s association, Sheebah.
During the day dedicated to schools, children were eager to ask questions on the palm plantation, enthusiastic to play the oases game, discover Burkina Faso and post messages on the tree of life.
Bulle En
