Aid at a crossroads: Adapting to drylands realities
Report shows that conventional, technocratic models of aid are poorly suited to environments defined by uncertainty, climate shocks and conflict.
Abstract
This report draws on 6 years of the Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent and Protracted Crises (SPARC) programme research across east and west Africa and the Middle East. It shows that conventional, technocratic models of aid are poorly suited to environments defined by uncertainty, climate shocks and conflict. While emergency assistance saves lives, an over-reliance on short-term responses has too often failed to address the underlying drivers of vulnerability or to support the systems that people already use to cope with crisis.
This work is part of the Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent and Protracted Crises (SPARC) programme.
Citation
Humphrey A and others. ‘Aid at a crossroads: Adapting to drylands realities’ Synthesis Report, London, UK: SPARC, 2025