Know About World Day To Combat Desertification And Drought 2025 Observed On June 17. Learn Its Theme “Restore The Land. Unlock The Opportunities,” Key Initiatives, Causes, India’s Response, And Global Actions To Tackle Land Degradation And Water Scarcity.
theIAShub | 17 Jun, 2025 | 1370 | 0 |
The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed every year on June 17 to raise global awareness about the urgent issues of land degradation and water scarcity. This international day highlights the growing threat of desertification and how it affects food security, livelihoods, climate, and ecosystems. The 2025 observance of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought emphasizes restoring degraded land and creating long-term opportunities for people and nature.
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With over 40% of the world’s land already degraded, the need to act is more pressing than ever. Desertification and drought are not just environmental concerns—they are deeply connected to economic stability, public health, and sustainable development. Governments, organizations, and communities worldwide come together on this day to share solutions, support innovation, and promote sustainable land management. It’s a powerful reminder that healthy land means a healthier future for all.
Observed every year on June 17, the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought raises awareness of the rising threats of desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD). In 2025, the day is themed “Restore the land. Unlock the opportunities.” The goal is to highlight the power of land restoration to create jobs, ensure food and water security, and build economic resilience.
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This year, the global celebration is hosted by Colombia, following previous hosts like Germany, USA, Spain, and Costa Rica. Governments, organizations, and communities around the world are organizing events to mark this crucial day.
The 2025 theme, “Restore the land. Unlock the opportunities,” underlines how a restored landscape can transform the economy, environment, and society. With a mission to restore 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030, this year’s World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought also aims to build a trillion-dollar land restoration economy. For every dollar invested in land restoration, there’s a return of USD 7–30, proving that land revival isn’t just environmentally smart—it’s economically wise.
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Desertification is the degradation of fertile land in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas caused by human activities and climate change. It’s not about deserts growing—rather, it’s about once-productive lands losing their ability to support crops, forests, and livelihoods.
This environmental crisis impacts over 3 billion people worldwide, most of whom depend on the land for survival. World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought spotlights the need to reverse this alarming trend.
While often linked, desertification and drought are different:
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However, they are deeply interconnected. Desertified land becomes more vulnerable to drought, and repeated droughts accelerate land degradation. That’s why the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought addresses both challenges together.
Several factors contribute to desertification:
Human activity is a key driver. The decisions we make daily—what we eat, wear, consume—directly impact the health of our land. The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought encourages everyone to be part of the solution.
India is among the countries severely affected by land degradation. Over 29% of India’s land (96 million hectares) is degraded. States like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh are among the worst-hit. This land degradation threatens agriculture, food security, and water resources for millions.
The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is a crucial opportunity for India to spotlight its efforts and challenges.
To tackle this crisis, India has taken several steps:
These initiatives align with the spirit of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, aiming to build a sustainable land management model.
India’s government has launched key programs to combat land degradation:
These efforts directly contribute to the goals of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, particularly in reversing land degradation and enhancing climate resilience.
India is using a multi-pronged strategy:
The emphasis is on integrated land and water management. On the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, these steps are showcased as global examples of sustainable land stewardship.
Major schemes addressing land degradation include:
These schemes reflect India’s commitment to the goals of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.
India experiences frequent droughts, especially in central, western, and southern states. Climate change is making these droughts more erratic and intense. With 68% of India’s cultivable land depending on the monsoon, any delay or failure severely impacts farmers and food security.
On the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, such issues are brought to global attention, urging stronger drought preparedness and climate action.
The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is more than a day, it’s a movement. With the 2025 theme, “Restore the land. Unlock the opportunities,” the world is reminded of the enormous benefits of land restoration. From creating jobs and ensuring food security to combating climate change and fostering peace, land is at the heart of sustainable development.
Now is the time to act. Through shared responsibility, smarter policies, and global solidarity, we can turn degraded lands into thriving ecosystems. The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is our call to protect the planet’s most precious infrastructure of our land.
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The 2025 theme is “Restore the land. Unlock the opportunities.” It highlights how restoring degraded land can boost economies, create jobs, and ensure food and water security.
Desertification is caused by overgrazing, deforestation, unsustainable farming, water mismanagement, and climate change. Human activities are the primary contributors.
India has launched initiatives like the National Action Programme to Combat Desertification, Soil Health Card Scheme, Green India Mission, and various watershed and afforestation projects.
Desertification is long-term land degradation due to human and natural causes. Drought is a short-term water shortage. Both are linked but differ in duration and impact.
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