The institute was established on Jan. 1998.
DDRI as an acronym of   Desert and Dryland Research Institute was established in 1998 in Yazd University . Desertification and aridity are among the serious problems throughout the world. Desertification is land degradation in arid, semiarid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. in June 1992, internationally negotiated definition of Desertification was adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro .
The United Nation Convection to Combat Desertification was formally adopted on 17 June 1994 and opened for signature in Paris on 14 October 1994 . This convection is notable for its innovation approach in recognizing the physical, biological and socio-economic aspects of desertification. UNCCD was Islamic Republic of Iran was one of the autographs of this convection.

The establishment of DDRI in Yazd University based on the fact that natural deserts have extended in Iran and because of human activities the area of anthropogenic desert have increased. This phenomenon causes land degradation and decreases environmental capability. Some aspects of desertification are water erosion, wind erosion, salinisation and alkalinisation.This critical condition cause to recognize the necessity of establishing DDRI that concentrates on dryland, arid and hyper arid zones and desertification.
The Institute is a comprehensive professional organization engaged in study fields of  desert, natural desert, anthropogenic  desert,  desertification, combat desertification, arid and hyper arid soils, salt affected soils, saline and sodic soil reclamation, wind erosion and sediment, water erosion and sediment, water shed management, range management, botany, desert ecology, geomorphology, forestry in arid zones, mine and climatologic. In addition, the institute adheres to work in fields of desert human harmony and ancient Knowledge.