One of the most important environmental challenges facing the world today is land degradation and desertification, driven by climate change and unregulated human activities.
Desertification does not only refer to the expansion of deserts; it also includes the gradual transformation of fertile and productive land into dry and barren landscapes.
The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed worldwide on 17 June every year to highlight the urgent need to protect humanity and nature from this growing crisis.
Since its declaration by the United Nations General Assembly in 1994, the day has been observed to reinforce the global commitment to maintaining ecological balance, preventing land degradation, and combating drought.
In 2026, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has adopted a visionary theme focusing on rangelands, which cover more than half of the world’s land area and support the livelihoods of billions of people. This year’s theme is “Rangelands: Recognise. Respect. Restore.”
The global flagship event is being held in Kenya in conjunction with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP 2026).
Desertification and drought are not sudden disasters but rather slow and relentless processes. Both natural and human-induced factors contribute to them.
Irregular rainfall and prolonged dry spells caused by climate change deplete soil moisture. At the same time, unplanned deforestation, excessive use of chemical fertilisers in croplands, overextraction of groundwater, and uncontrolled livestock farming degrade soil fertility.
As nutrients are lost from the soil surface, the land becomes increasingly vulnerable to erosion by wind and rainwater and eventually turns barren. As a result, food security is threatened, clean water becomes scarce, and millions of people are forced to leave their homes and livelihoods.
The impacts of desertification and drought extend beyond the environment, affecting economies, public health, and social stability. Reduced agricultural production drives up food prices, disproportionately affecting the poor.
Water shortages increase health risks and place additional burdens on women and children. In many cases, people are forced to migrate after losing their livelihoods, which can contribute to social instability and conflict. Therefore, combating desertification and drought is an essential component of sustainable development, poverty reduction, and human security.
Bangladesh is a riverine country with a humid climate. Although it is not generally considered prone to desertification, the effects of land degradation, drought, and climate change are becoming increasingly visible.
Due to climate change, prolonged droughts during the dry season are becoming more frequent in the northwestern region, particularly in Rajshahi, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj, Dinajpur, and Rangpur, while soil moisture is declining at an alarming rate.
Excessive groundwater extraction, declining soil fertility, reduced river navigability, and irregular monsoon rainfall are negatively affecting agricultural production.
Groundwater levels are falling steadily, exacerbating these challenges. At the same time, inadequate water flows from transboundary rivers, including those affected by the Farakka Barrage upstream, along with the declining navigability of major rivers such as the Teesta and Padma, are causing many riverbeds to dry up and turn into sandy stretches during the dry season. This, in turn, accelerates land degradation by increasing regional temperatures.
Meanwhile, sea-level rise in coastal areas and the spread of salinity caused by saltwater intrusion during cyclones and tidal surges are degrading land quality, rendering fertile agricultural land unproductive. This is a form of indirect desertification. According to experts, a significant portion of Bangladesh’s land is at varying levels of degradation risk, and if climate change continues unabated, drought- and desertification-related challenges are likely to become even more severe.
Therefore, sustainable land management, water conservation, social afforestation, the expansion of drought-tolerant crops, and the implementation of climate adaptation policies have become increasingly important for the country.
The most effective way to address the growing crises of desertification and drought globally is to achieve the Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) target set by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and to ensure the sustainable management of rangelands, which cover more than half of the world’s land area, in line with the theme of the 2026 World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, “Rangelands: Recognise. Respect. Restore.”
To achieve this international goal, uncontrolled and excessive grazing must be strictly regulated, and rotational grazing systems should be introduced. Such systems allow grasses and vegetation sufficient time to regenerate naturally and help prevent soil erosion.
Second, to cope with the impacts of climate change, large-scale afforestation initiatives and natural green belts should be established along desert margins.
One notable example is the Great Green Wall project in the Sahel region of Africa, which aims to protect fertile land from sandstorms and desertification.
Third, modern technologies such as drip irrigation and smart soil-moisture sensors should be widely adopted to maximise agricultural productivity while minimising water use.
Fourth, indigenous communities and nomadic herders, who have lived sustainably in dry regions for centuries, should be guaranteed their traditional land rights and actively involved in environmental policymaking.
Above all, strengthening groundwater recharge systems, conserving rainwater, and keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius through reductions in carbon emissions, as pledged under the Paris Climate Agreement, remain the most effective long-term solutions to combating desertification worldwide.
Various government and private-sector initiatives have been undertaken in Bangladesh to combat desertification and drought. Tree-planting programs, social afforestation, the development of drought-tolerant crops, water conservation technologies, and climate-smart agricultural practices are playing important roles in this effort.
In addition, research institutions are working to develop innovative technologies and strategies to preserve soil health, improve water resource management, and prevent land degradation.
However, stronger policy support, greater investment, and broader public participation are needed to make these initiatives more effective and integrated. In the context of Bangladesh, the most effective solution to desertification and drought is to reduce dependence on groundwater and ensure the maximum use of surface water, while expanding environmentally friendly and technology-driven agricultural systems.
To achieve this goal, the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) and the Ministry of Water Resources should prioritise the re-excavation of rivers, natural canals, and thousands of kilometers of traditional waterways and khas ponds in the northwestern region to enhance rainwater retention during the monsoon season.
In addition, to prevent the alarming decline in groundwater levels, authorities should strictly enforce restrictions on the installation of new deep tubewells in water-stressed upazilas, including Rajshahi and Naogaon.
Farmers should also be encouraged to shift from cultivating water-intensive Boro rice to more profitable alternative crops such as maize, mustard, wheat, and drought-tolerant varieties of mango and malta.
To minimise water wastage in irrigation, prepaid card irrigation systems, smart soil-moisture sensors, and drip irrigation technologies should be expanded nationwide. Furthermore, to reduce rising temperatures in the Barind region and prevent soil erosion, large-scale afforestation initiatives such as the Smart Green Barind program should be expanded, including the use of drones for seed dispersal in degraded areas.
Similarly, strong green belts of salt-tolerant and tidal-resistant plant species should be developed in coastal areas to combat salinity-induced land degradation.
Above all, maintaining river flows through regular dredging and strengthening regional and bilateral diplomacy to secure a fair share of water from the 54 transboundary rivers shared with India, including the Teesta, will provide a sustainable solution to Bangladesh’s long-term land and water security challenges.
The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought reminds us that a sustainable future is impossible without healthy land.
Land is the foundation of everything. Therefore, preventing land degradation and restoring degraded land are not only environmental responsibilities but also essential for humanity’s survival and development.
The 2026 theme, “Rangelands: Recognise. Respect. Restore.”, calls on us to recognise the true value of rangelands, respect their traditional custodians, and work together to restore these vital ecosystems for future generations. Protecting the world’s land means protecting the future of humanity.
Achieving that goal will require the active and collective participation of governments, international organisations, researchers, local communities, and ordinary citizens alike.
(Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, is a Professor of the Department of Environmental Science and Dean of the Faculty of Science, Stamford University Bangladesh. He is also the Joint Secretary, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Chairman, Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS).He writes articles for Just Energy News, and can be reached at Email: [email protected].)