23 March 2010 - UNAMID today joined policy-makers, UN agencies, donors and other stakeholders, including the Sudanese Federal Ministry of the Environment and the State Farmer’s Union, today in El Fasher, North Darfur, to take part in a two-day visioning conference entitled “Adapting to Climate Change in Darfur.”

The forum afforded the various parties the opportunity to debate and research the impact of climate change on livelihoods in Darfur and to facilitate collaboration among them to help meet the pressing needs of the region.

The issues discussed included population growth, urbanization, dwindling water supplies, as well as preparations to deal with the increasingly frequent droughts in the region and the resulting food shortages.

The participants plan to visit, tomorrow, the Golo dam, which supplies much of El Fasher’s water and is suffering from the impacts of desertification.

The organizing of the conference was led by UN Deputy Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sudan, Mr. Toby Lanzer.