Global Call to Restore Critical Ecosystems Gains Urgency
Kenya has taken centre stage in the global land sustainability agenda as pressure intensifies on the world’s rangelands, vast ecosystems that underpin food systems, livelihoods and climate resilience, yet remain dangerously undervalued.
Marking Desertification and Drought Day 2026, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has issued a stark warning: up to half of the world’s rangelands are already degraded or at risk. From the Eurasian steppes to South America’s grasslands and Southern Africa’s savannas, a convergence of drought, climate change and unsustainable land use is accelerating ecosystem decline at a scale with profound global implications.
Rangelands cover more than half of the Earth’s land surface, support around two billion people and provide nearly 70 per cent of global livestock feed. Despite this, they remain one of the least prioritised components of global food systems, an oversight now being exposed by intensifying climate shocks.
Scientists point to rising temperatures and worsening drought conditions as key drivers of soil erosion, water stress and biodiversity loss across these landscapes. The consequences are cascading: weakened food security, strained water systems and heightened vulnerability for pastoralist communities.
In a video message marking Desertification and Drought Day 2026, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said, “This year also marks the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, a chance to support the pastoralists and Indigenous Peoples whose traditional knowledge can help safeguard these ecosystems. To protect our future, we must protect the land.” Hosted in Kilifi County, Kenya, this year’s global observance, under the theme “Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore.” brought renewed attention to sustainable pastoralism and ecosystem restoration. For Kenya, where drylands and rangelands cover around 80 per cent of the land area, the issue is both immediate and deeply socio-economic.
I commend the Government of Kenya for helping bring global attention to the importance of rangelands and pastoralists. As droughts intensify and competition over land and water resources grows, restoring rangelands must become part of how countries strengthen resilience, secure food systems, reduce risk and support livelihoods. Knowledge and solutions already exist. The challenge now is scaling up investment and implementation,” said Yasmine Fouad, Executive Secretary at the UNCCD.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Deborah M. Barasa said, “Kenya is proud to host this important global moment. For us, this is not just another global event. It is a conversation that touches the daily lives of our people, especially our pastoralists, farmers, women, youth and communities living in rangelands, who understand better than anyone the value of land, water, livestock and nature. As we gather here at Kilifi County, may we use this occasion to listen, to learn from one another and to renew our commitment to action. We must recognise the true value of rangelands, respect the communities who depend on and care for them and work together to restore these landscapes for generations to come.”
Across Eurasia, the world’s largest continuous grazing region is undergoing rapid degradation. Stretching more than 8,000 kilometres from the Black Sea to Northern China, these rangelands have seen productivity drop sharply under extreme drought conditions by as much as 43 per cent in some areas. In South America, agricultural expansion is reshaping iconic ecosystems such as the Gran Chaco, Cerrado and Pampas. Monoculture farming, deforestation and intensive livestock production are eroding the resilience of native vegetation, further compounded by prolonged droughts and heatwaves.
Southern Africa presents a dual narrative of risk and resilience. While around 70 per cent of land is used for livestock grazing, the region is also emerging as a testing ground for locally driven restoration. Countries such as Zimbabwe and Angola are reviving traditional grazing systems, leveraging rotational practices and Indigenous knowledge to restore soil health, improve water retention and reduce resource-based conflicts. Despite the scale of degradation, the pathway forward is increasingly clear. Proven solutions from rotational grazing and pastoral mobility to silvopastoral systems and community-led land management are demonstrating that restoration and productivity can coexist.
Evidence shows that healthy rangelands are inherently more resilient to drought, supported by deep root systems and perennial vegetation that enhance water retention and stabilise soils. The challenge now is less about innovation and more about execution, mobilising finance, scaling proven models and embedding local knowledge into policy frameworks. With rangelands and pastoralists set to take centre stage at the UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia this August, the global agenda is shifting toward recognising these ecosystems not as marginal lands, but as critical infrastructure for climate resilience, food security and sustainable development. As pressure mounts, the message from Kenya is unequivocal, restoring rangelands is central to securing the future of both people and planet.
