Reaching the Unreached

Abstract

Drought and desertifi cation are recurrent problems that affect millions of people in the semi-arid tropics. Information about the problem is key to the solution, and drought preparedness is now viewed as the best strategy for withstanding the problem. International agricultural research centres have accumulated a wealth of knowledge and information on the subject. Recent successes in applying information and communication technologies for development, coupled with open/distance learning, offer unprecedented opportunities to develop ways of sharing knowledge to enhance drought mitigation and management. The Virtual Academy for the Semi-Arid Tropics (VASAT) is an initiative that provides an opportunity for globally-dispersed communities of drought-related experts to come together virtually to generate information and knowledge that can be locally applied by stakeholders, and to harness communities of practice to share new knowledge. It also identifi es new methods for partnering with national institutions and technology-oriented NGOs and for employing new ICT-based methods of complementing agricultural extension systems.