World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is an important international observance that aims to raise public awareness about the urgent need to tackle desertification and land degradation. Desertification adversely affects the global ecosystem, food security, and ultimately, the sustenance of human life. This annual event highlights the importance of promoting sustainable land management practices, protecting affected ecosystems, and ensuring food and water security for communities around the world.

The United Nations General Assembly established this observance in 1995, following the 1994 adoption of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). India, being a signatory to the UNCCD and having faced severe consequences of desertification, bears a strong responsibility towards combating this issue. With almost 30% of the country's geographical area affected by land degradation and desertification, the impact on the Indian population's livelihood and food security is significant. Agriculture and related occupations form the backbone of the Indian economy, and desertification threatens the sustainability of these practices, leading to poverty and migration as primary consequences.

To mark the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, various public awareness programs, workshops, and tree plantation drives are organized across India. The events are aimed at promoting land and soil conservation measures, spreading awareness about the importance of afforestation, and encouraging sustainable land-use practices. The observance is held annually on the 17th of June, presenting an opportunity for the Indian population to join the international community in addressing the issue of desertification and land degradation.

Top 7 Facts for 2026 World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought in India

• For the 2026 observance of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, the global community will focus on the theme Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore., which directly aligns with the United Nations designating 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.
• Kenya has been selected as the global host for this year's event, marking the first time in nearly a decade that an African nation has led the observance, providing a platform for India to share its own expertise in managing semi-arid ecosystems and dryland agriculture.
• A major point of local interest is the progress of the Aravalli Green Wall Project, an ambitious 1,500-kilometre-long green belt stretching from Gujarat to Haryana that aims to prevent the eastward expansion of the Thar Desert and restore over six million hectares of degraded land.
• India is working toward a significant national commitment to restore 26 million hectares of its degraded land by 2030, a goal first announced during the UNCCD COP14 hosted in New Delhi.
• The newly established Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Land Management in India is expected to showcase technology-driven restoration strategies, utilizing satellite data from the Indian Space Research Organisation to monitor soil health and drought vulnerability in real time.
• The 2026 focus on rangelands is particularly relevant for India’s rural economy, as these lands support millions of pastoralists and livestock, which are central to the livelihoods of communities across Rajasthan, Gujarat, and the Deccan Plateau.
• Environmental discourse during the observance is likely to be informed by the technical findings of the report Eco-restoration of the Aravalli Landscape, which emphasizes the economic benefits of land restoration over the high long-term costs of ecological inaction.

In the News and Trending in India for World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

Top things to do in India for this observance

• Learn about the UN's great green wall initiative. Once finished, it will become the largest living structure on the planet.
• Watch several short films on desertification and drought.
• Watch a documentary to learn more about drought in India. Here are our top picks:
  1. Desertification in the Thar Desert - A short documentary that explores the rapid desertification of the Thar Desert, the impacts on local communities, and efforts to combat the issue.
  2. Surviving Drought in India - This Al Jazeera documentary delves into the struggles faced by farmers in the Marathwada region of India during the prolonged drought in 2016.
  3. Scarcity Wars: The War for Water in Indian Independence - This documentary by Navin Raheja explores the consequences of drought and water shortages in India and the political tensions that arise as a result. It provides in-depth coverage of the country's ongoing battle against desertification and the impact on national security.
• Read a book to learn more about desertification in India. Here are our suggestions:
  1. Desertification in India: Assessment and Mapping by Amal Kar
  2. Climate Change, Drought, and Water Crisis in India by Jagdish Chandra Dagar, Archana Dagar, and Sushma Dagar
  3. Desertification Control and Rangeland Management in the Thar Desert of India by Anil Kumar Roy, Vijay P. Singh, and Subodh Kumar Singh