Every year on 17 June, people around the world observe World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. This United Nations Day reminds us that healthy land is essential for life. The soil beneath our feet provides us with food, stores water, supports wildlife, and helps regulate our climate. However, many of the world’s drylands are under pressure from desertification and drought.

Desertification does not simply mean that deserts are expanding. It is the process by which fertile land becomes degraded and less productive. The most common causes for desertification include:

Overexploitation of Water Resources: Excessive extraction of groundwater and surface water can dry out ecosystems and reduce vegetation cover. In some areas, poor irrigation practices also cause salt to build up in the soil, making it difficult for plants to grow.

Unsustainable Farming Practices: Poor agricultural methods, such as excessive tillage, monoculture farming, and improper irrigation, can damage soil structure, reduce fertility, and lead to erosion or salinization.

Overgrazing: When too many livestock graze the same area, plants do not have enough time to recover. The loss of vegetation exposes the soil to erosion by wind and water, accelerating land degradation.

Deforestation: When trees and shrubs are removed, the soil loses protection from wind and rain. Tree roots help hold soil in place and retain moisture. Without vegetation, soil erosion increases and land becomes less productive.

Climate Change: Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns can make dry areas even drier. Longer droughts reduce soil moisture, weaken vegetation, and leave land more vulnerable to degradation.

The good news is that communities around the world are finding ways to live with dry conditions, while simultaneously restoring damaged landscapes.

One of the world’s most inspiring efforts to combat desertification is Africa’s Great Green Wall initiative. Stretching across the Sahel region, the project brings together more than 20 countries to restore degraded land, plant trees, improve soil health, and support local communities. In Niger alone, farmers have helped regenerate more than 200 million trees through natural regeneration techniques, showing that even severely degraded landscapes can recover when people work with nature.

The Sahel region (brown), the proposed Great Green Wall (green), and participating countries (white)

Mauritania, one of the countries involved in the Great Green Wall, faces serious challenges from advancing desert sands. As our friend from Mauritania, Dah Ebbe, has illustrated before, the Sahara Desert is eating away at their villages, their culture, and their livelihoods.

Dah Ebbe, showing us how the desert is expanding into his village in Bareina

In India’s Thar Desert, farmers have developed traditional methods to collect and store rainwater. Small ponds, tanks, and water-harvesting systems help communities make the most of limited rainfall. Farmers also grow drought-resistant crops that require less water while still providing food and income.

In Israel’s Negev Desert, researchers and farmers use advanced irrigation systems that deliver water directly to plant roots. This reduces water waste and allows crops to grow even in very dry environments. Similar techniques are now being used in many other arid regions around the world.

Our Regional Coordinator Volunteer in Nigeria, Imam Maiyaki, previously told us that “one of the major impacts of climate change on soil in Nigeria is desertification. The northern part of the country is experiencing increasing levels of drought and desertification due to rising temperatures and decreasing rainfall, leading to soil degradation, erosion, and loss of biodiversity. This has negative impacts on agriculture and food security, as well as the livelihoods of many communities.”

In Nigeria, over 900,000 square kilometers are affected by desertification and soil degradation, representing about 43% of Nigeria’s land area.

Thus, not just in Northern Africa, but across many dry regions, local people are taking action by restoring native vegetation, protecting grasslands, and improving soil management. These actions help the land recover naturally and become more resilient to drought.

The United Nations’ message of World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is clear: healthy land means a healthier future for everyone. Trees, plants, and healthy soils help retain water, support wildlife, capture carbon, and provide food for communities. By planting trees, reducing land degradation, conserving water, and supporting restoration projects, each of us can contribute to protecting our shared planet.

If you are participating in a desertification project, we would love to learn from you! Please get in contact and share your story with us – we would be delighted to share your story with our global community!

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References:

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Green_Wall_(Africa)
https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/to-conserve-water-for-agriculture-a-solution-from-the-desert/
https://www.ifad.org/en/climate/great-green-wall
https://www.fao.org/land-water/events/wdcdd24/en/
https://landcareaustralia.org.au/resources/first-nations-resources-and-guidelines/cultural-burns-and-land-management/
https://www.greatgreenwall.org/
https://powersofafrica.com/article/2165/nigeria-desertification-more-threatening-than-ever
Title image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-field-in-close-up-shot-11506881/