The sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 13 December 2024. In an interaction with ET Online, Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Saudi Arabia and Advisor to the COP16 Presidency, elaborates on the urgency and scale of the land degradation crisis in India, the economic impact of land degradation on agriculture, and COP16’s vision for land restoration and sustainable development. Edited excerpts:
ET: Can you share your perspective on the urgency and scale of the land degradation crisis, especially in countries like India where agriculture is central to livelihoods and the economy?
Osama Faqeeha (OF): The scale of land degradation is staggering and demands urgent global attention. According to UNCCD data, we lose land equivalent to four football fields every second, amounting to 100 million hectares annually. These include forests, grasslands, agriculture lands and other types of lands that provide valuable and diverse ecosystem services supporting biodiversity and human communities. This crisis affects approximately one-third of humanity, and its economic implications are profound – about half of the global economy, approximately $44 trillion annually, depends on natural capital.
The agricultural sector is particularly vulnerable to land degradation. When land becomes degraded, we see reduced crop yields and declining livestock productivity, creating cascading effects on food security, economic stability, and social cohesion.
Up to two billion people currently live under severe food insecurity and do not have regular access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food. Restoring agricultural lands is a critical part of fixing this. This is especially true for countries such as India, where agriculture is central to both livelihoods and the broader economy. It is, however, a truth being realised in almost every corner of the planet, be it farmers in India or rural Spain.
Globally, it is also true that agriculture has been part of the problem. For too long our approach to agriculture has been focused on short term profits and productivity, ignoring the long-term impact of unsustainable land practices. Industrial farming and increased demand have significantly altered many natural landscapes. This has driven deforestation in tropical regions, and desertification and land degradation in drylands.
This reality underscores why COP16 in Riyadh this December is so crucial. As an international community we need to restore vital agricultural lands and incentivise sustainable land management. The UNCCD is targeting the restoration of 250 million hectares of farmland by 2030 to increase crop yields, it is critical in December that multilateral action is taken to achieve this.
ET: India has 32% of its land affected by degradation and 25% by desertification. How do these numbers compare globally, and why is India particularly vulnerable?
OF: While the level of land degradation in India is concerning, it is important to note it also reflects a broader global crisis. According to UNCCD analysis, approximately 20 percent of global land – or 30 million square kilometres – is degraded to some extent. In India’s case, according to the Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India about 30 percent of the total land area is considered degraded, with several states experiencing desertification and degradation across more than 50 percent of their land.
The scale of India’s challenge is particularly concerning given that around 600 million citizens are facing high to extreme water stress, according to the Indian government policy think tank Niti Aayog. This combination of land degradation and water stress underscores why India’s commitment to restoration is so important.
In 2019, India demonstrated its leadership in addressing this crisis by raising its land restoration target from 21 million hectares to 26 million hectares by 2030. As an international community, at COP16 in Riyadh we must further enhance land restoration and drought resilience.
ET: With land degradation reportedly reducing agricultural productivity by 2-5% annually in the worst-hit areas, what are the immediate economic impacts for India’s farming sector?
OF: The economic implications of land degradation on agriculture are significant and far-reaching. According to the UNCCD, food systems are responsible for 80 percent of deforestation globally and 70 percent of freshwater use. They are the single greatest cause of terrestrial biodiversity loss. It is understood that the impact on agricultural productivity of land degradation directly affects farmers’ livelihoods and food security.
What is critically important, however, is we also reframe the conversation around land. Land restoration pays for itself in economic returns. The UNCCD estimates for every dollar invested in land can lead to up to 30 dollars in returns. Meanwhile, if we take agricultural productivity, it’s estimated that restoring degraded land could generate $1.4 trillion in increased crop production.
India is driving a number of leading land restoration projects to address these challenges, including the Green India Mission and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), which funds work to reverse land degradation across all states. These initiatives demonstrate how countries can take practical steps to address both the environmental and economic impacts of land degradation.
For the world’s most populous nation, initiatives that protect and restore agricultural land are not just environmental projects – they are crucial economic investments that protect livelihoods and food security for the long-term.
ET: Climate change exacerbates land degradation and water scarcity, both of which can drive migration. Could you share insights on the connection between land degradation, climate adaptation, and population displacement?
OF: The interconnection between land degradation, climate change and forced migration is both clear and concerning. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, agriculture, forestry, and other land use activities account for 24 percent of total human-caused emissions. At the same time, degraded land releases billions of tonnes of CO2 each year, creating a devastating feedback loop where land degradation worsens climate impacts, which in turn accelerates land degradation.
Land degradation, drought and desertification are leading causes of many crises impacting people around the world, including food insecurity, water insecurity and forced migration. These challenges know no borders. Whether it is in the Middle East, Europe, Africa or the Americas, degraded land affects food production, water availability and community stability. These are all key drivers of regional instability and migration.
ET: Are there emerging technologies or innovative practices being discussed at COP16 that could help accelerate land restoration efforts in India and beyond?
OF: At COP16 in Riyadh, we are creating unprecedented opportunities to showcase and discuss cutting-edge solutions for sustainable land management. The conference will feature the first-ever Green Zone, which will serve as a dynamic space for innovators to showcase real-world solutions for sustainable land management, drought resilience and land restoration.
We are seeing promising developments in land monitoring, smart agriculture practices and water-efficient irrigation systems that can be applied globally to protect and restore land.
Additionally, we will have dedicated thematic days focusing on critical areas including science, technology, and innovation, which will help transform dialogue into concrete action plans.
ET: How can smallholder farmers, in particular, benefit from the outcomes of COP16? In terms of sustainable development, how does COP16 plan to create a balance between land restoration efforts, economic growth, and social impact, particularly in developing economies like India?
OF: Land restoration must create sustainable livelihood opportunities for small-scale farmers, Indigenous peoples, and local communities. Many traditional and modern food production practices can enable agriculture to pivot from being the primary cause of degradation to becoming the principal catalyst for land and soil restoration. But to be clear, our economic growth is dependent on land restoration. Preventing land degradation, desertification and drought is one of the best ways to tackle many of the social and economic challenges facing the world.
The UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh will specifically address these challenges through thematic days focused on finding solutions regarding a range of pressing topics, including agri-food systems, governance, and finance. We understand that top-down solutions to avoid or reduce land degradation and water scarcity are unlikely to succeed without bottom-up stakeholder engagement and the security of land tenure and resource rights.
Importantly, sustainable food production alternatives, inspired by agroecological approaches, are both affordable and effective. The transition to regenerative agriculture practices can be tailored to different scales and resource intensities of food producers, ensuring that smallholder farmers can benefit from these innovations while maintaining their livelihoods.
ET: What role do you see international partnerships and funding playing in land restoration projects in India? Is COP16 looking to encourage more global investment in such efforts?
OF: Although the UNCCD estimates around 24% of greenhouse gases are attributed to various land use, the percentage of climate finance allocated to land restoration remains very small and private sector participation is very low. Hence, extra-budgetary support will be needed – from corporate investment, climate finance, debt relief and donor or development aid to innovative financial instruments that explicitly include environmental, social and governance criteria.
International partnerships will help accelerate change. As an example, the G20 Land Initiative, agreed at the 2020 Riyadh summit, aims to reduce degraded lands by 50% by 2040. However, the simple truth is as an international community we can and must do more, both in terms of partnerships and unlocking funding mechanisms.
As the UNCCD COP16 Presidency, we will work to enhance the effectiveness of land degradation commitments and ensure the private sector and financial institutions are a key part of ongoing conversations on solutions for land restoration and drought resilience.
ET: As an advisor to the COP16 Presidency, what message would you like to convey to the Indian public and policymakers regarding the urgency of addressing land degradation?
OF: The message is clear: land degradation is not just an environmental issue – it is a crucial economic and social challenge that affects food security, water availability and community wellbeing. COP16 in Riyadh represents a critical moment for the planet and its people to address these formidable challenges.
If we are to meet the UNCCD target of restoring 1.5 billion hectares, we must accelerate multilateral action. We simply cannot afford to wait another two years to address the causes of land degradation, drought, and desertification.
I invite Indian policymakers, businesses, scientists, and civil society organisations to join us in Riyadh this December. This is your opportunity to be part of a historic moment as we work together to address one of humanity’s most pressing challenges.
Together, we can unlock the potential of a trillion-dollar restoration economy while creating lasting solutions for the benefit of both people and the planet.
