In Latin America, Semiarid regions are those areas with their own characteristics that go beyond their climate definition presenting them as areas where rainfall is less than the water lost by evapotranspiration, with heavily marked wet and dry seasonal cycles and with large temperature variations.
Besides, they are regions with a great cultural biodiversity, due to the presence of different aboriginal and peasant peoples living in each one of them, with a wealth of natural resources. However, many times they are in conflict due to the processes for the expansion of agricultural frontiers, the use of biofuels, problems with access to water sources, or land occupation.
Although Latin American Semiarid Regions are those impoverished regions of the continent excluded from public policies, at the same time they have an enormous development potential based on their own natural strengths and assets. These regions should be the focus of our best efforts in the next few decades, in order to reduce poverty and inequality, so as to achieve a fairer and more equitable Latin America.
53Million people reached in rural and urban areas
Through social mobilization processes the Semiarid Platform has decided to include changes in public policies linked to cohabitation with the semiarid regions that should allow access, use and management of the land, territories, water and other resources.
The goal for 2021 is that the indigenous peoples and peasant communities have the recognition of their tenure rights within the framework of the constitutions of each country; enough quality water guaranteeing production, social and environmental sustainability; and sustainable production programs with suitable technologies ensuring the conditions that are required for the effective occupancy of the land.
The following strategic guidelines should be followed in order to achieve this goal
Improvement of the regional synergy in relation to its territorial and theme scope, in order to boost the participation and the sense of ownership of the ILC members and non-members, by adding new stakeholders and enhancing regional visibility.
Knowledge generation and management process will be continued in order to enhance social mobilization.
Local, national and regional actions shall be contemplated in order to make the region visible and to generate alliances with a positive impact on some public policies.
ILG goals in accordance with their 2016-2021 Strategy
Connecting organizations in order to expand the basis of consensus
Mobilizing processes to strengthen abilities and to generate proposals
Having an impact on public policies
Changes will be sought in the design, generation and implementation of public agendas.
The platform aims at achieving impacts at the level of new policies improving the life conditions of rural families and poor communities of the continent. Its political action will be based on day-to-day practice, the generation of consensus and proposals and the impact at the level of the States, intergovernmental agencies and regional agencies, among others.
Carlos Magno
“La plataforma es un espacio muy rico de intercambio de conocimientos entre las organizaciones del Semiárido de América Latina, favorece la construcción colectiva de una nueva mirada a toda la región, reconociendo su potencial y produciendo las condiciones concretas para superar sus desafíos”
Centro Sabiá