Blog - World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2025 - “United for Land. Our Legacy. Our Future.”
- ruchira nigam
- Jun 17
- 3 min read
Blog No. 2225/PI - Written by -
Ruchira Nigam, Project Coordinator, Prithvi Innovations &
Ms. Anuradha Gupta, Founder & General Secretary, Prithvi Innovations
Every year on June 17, the world comes together to observe the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought (WDCDD) — a crucial reminder of the fragile balance between land, life, and livelihood. Established in 1994 by the United Nations General Assembly (Resolution A/RES/49/115), this day emphasizes the urgent need for sustainable land management and highlights solutions to combat desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD).
🌱 What is Desertification?
Desertification does not refer to the expansion of deserts, but rather to land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. It leads to the loss of productive land, affecting food security, water resources, and biodiversity.
According to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD):
“Up to 40% of the world’s land is degraded, directly affecting half of the world’s population.” (Source: UNCCD Global Land Outlook 2022)
💧 Drought: A Growing Threat
Drought is a prolonged dry period in the natural climate cycle that can occur anywhere in the world. However, its frequency, intensity, and duration are increasing due to climate change. According to the UNCCD Drought in Numbers Report 2022:
More than 1.4 billion people were affected by drought between 2000–2019.
Droughts are expected to affect over 75% of the global population by 2050.
🔍 2025 Theme Explained: "United for Land. Our Legacy. Our Future."
This year's theme underlines the collective responsibility of all stakeholders—governments, civil society, youth, indigenous communities, and the private sector—to restore and protect land as our shared legacy and the foundation of future resilience.
India’s Reality: A Case for Urgent Action
India, home to over 1.4 billion people, is one of the most drought-prone countries globally. According to the Space Applications Centre, ISRO (2018):
About 96.4 million hectares, or 29.3% of India’s total land, is undergoing degradation.
States like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Telangana face recurring droughts.
The Government of India has taken multiple steps, such as:
Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India (ISRO)
National Afforestation Programme (NAP)
Soil Health Card Scheme
Watershed Management Projects
Hosting of COP14 of UNCCD in New Delhi (2019)
🌿 Call for Action - Together we all can contribute :
Combating desertification and drought is not just the job of scientists or policymakers - it’s a call for action for all. Here’s how we can contribute:
Action | Impact |
🌾 Practicing sustainable farming | Preserves soil health and fertility |
🚰 Conserving water | Reduces stress on drought-prone ecosystems |
🌳 Planting native trees | Reclaims degraded land and improves biodiversity |
♻️ Adopting a circular economy | Minimizes land and water waste |
🗣️ Spreading awareness | Inspires collective action at community levels |
✍️ Reflections from Prithvi Innovations
As a committed eco-conscious organization, Prithvi Innovations has been spreading awareness through campaigns, tree plantation drives, storytelling sessions, and workshops for students and communities. On this World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, we re-dedicate ourselves to preserving "our land, our home, our future."
Let’s work with nature, not against it.
References
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) – https://www.unccd.int
UNCCD Global Land Outlook Report 2022 – https://www.unccd.int/resources/global-land-outlook
Drought in Numbers Report 2022 – https://www.unccd.int/drought-in-numbers-2022
ISRO Desertification Atlas of India (2018) – https://www.isro.gov.in
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Govt. of India – https://moef.gov.in
✅ Let’s build a resilient tomorrow by restoring the land today. #DesertificationAndDroughtDay #UNCCD #LandRestoration #ClimateAction #PrithviInnovations #SustainableDevelopment
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