On June 17, 2025, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) joined global nations and organizations in observing the World Day to Combat Desertification. The theme for this year was “Restore the Land, Unlock the Opportunities.”
According to data from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), approximately 65% of productive land in Africa is currently degraded. Desertification affects about 45% of these lands. This degradation threatens millions of livelihoods and intensifies food crises. The World Food Programme (WFP) warns that up to 50 million people in the Sahel could face food insecurity by 2024.
The day’s theme emphasizes restoring degraded land to protect natural reserves and improve ecosystem services. Fertile land is seen as a means to enhance social cohesion and reduce risks associated with conflict, urbanization, and climate migration.
Efforts such as the Great Green Wall (GGW) project have made significant progress, aiming to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land by 2030. As of now, around 20 million hectares have been restored since 2023. Traditional techniques like Zaï farming and innovative methods like intelligent irrigation are encouraged to boost community resilience against drought.
ECOWAS commits to strengthening regional policy through updates in the Sub-Regional Action Plan to Combat Desertification (PRASR-LCD). These updates include incorporating UNCCD’s recommended land neutrality and harmonizing national legislation for agro-ecology promotion.
Stakeholders including governments, technical partners, civil society, and private sectors are urged to acknowledge desertification’s impacts on land degradation. They are called upon to increase awareness campaigns and invest in ecological projects focusing on reforestation and sustainable agroforestry.
On this day dedicated to combating desertification, ECOWAS reaffirmed its commitment towards a greener West Africa: “every tree preserved, every tree planted, every piece of land restored is a victory against desertification and drought.”
This declaration was made in Abuja on June 17th by Mrs Massandjé Touré-Litsé, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture at ECOWAS.