The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has called for urgent action to recognize, protect, and restore rangelands, highlighting their vital role in supporting communities, food systems, and ecosystems around the world.
Speaking during World Desertification and Drought Day 2026 in Kenya, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen emphasized that rangelands cover more than half of the Earth’s land surface and support around two billion people through agriculture, pastoral livelihoods, biodiversity, and water security.
Rangelands contribute significantly to global food systems, providing a major share of food production and livestock feed. However, these landscapes are increasingly threatened by land degradation, unsustainable land conversion, and climate change-driven droughts and desertification.
UNEP warned that rangelands often receive limited attention in national environmental policies, leaving many pastoral communities with little influence over decisions affecting the lands they depend on. Without stronger protection, degradation could threaten livelihoods, cultural traditions, and local resilience.
The organization urged governments to support sustainable pastoral systems, strengthen community-led land management, and include rangelands in biodiversity and climate strategies. Protecting these areas is also essential for achieving global goals on ecosystem restoration and land degradation neutrality.
UNEP highlighted restoration efforts in Kenya’s Tana Delta region, where community-based land-use planning has helped promote sustainable livestock, fisheries, agriculture, and ecosystem conservation.
Beyond restoration, UNEP stressed the need for prevention through drought preparedness, early warning systems, soil protection, sustainable livestock practices, secure land rights, and nature-based solutions.
The message of World Desertification and Drought Day 2026 is clear: recognizing the value of rangelands, respecting the communities that care for them, and restoring these landscapes are essential steps toward a more resilient future.
