According to a preliminary investigation published in March in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Business, employees who bring their dog to the office can cap the amount of stress experienced during the day, and improve job satisfaction for all.

CNN: Barking mad: Can office dogs reduce stress?

As part of an effort to train a new cohort of local health workers and hence to improve the health delivery services for women and their families in rural communities, Management Sciences for Health (MSH), the Centre for International Education at the University of Massachusetts, International Rescue Committee and seven local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) initiated the Learning for Life (LfL) programme.

UNESCO: Learning for Life

But Zafar Adeel of the United Nations University International Network on Water, Environment and Health, an expert on water management and a leading author of the report, warned that more needed to be done to combat desertification.

CNN: Growing deserts 'a global problem'