Today, 17th June 2026, we celebrate the rangelands of the world, the people who tend them and their remarkable livestock, as Kenya hosts the global observance of Desertification and Drought Day in partnership with UNCCD under the theme “Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore.”
Our world’s grasslands, shrublands, savannahs and semi-deserts are amongst our most neglected ecosystems, yet they cover more than half of our land surface and sustain the livelihoods of more than 2 billion people. The land users of these diverse and resilient swathes of the global drylands are stewards not only of land, plants and animals, but also of profound knowledge about how to manage these areas in ways that will continue to provide for future generations.
Drynet appreciates the invaluable contributions of the indigenous and local pastoralist communities to keeping our planet intact and productive despite the many challenges that they face from the deepening droughts and floods that are driven by global warming.
We recognize that the well-being and security of these pastoralist communities are dependent on sustaining their ecosystems, including restoring rangelands that have been degraded in the past. In turn, we also recognize that the well-being and security of the rest of humanity depends in no small part on their ability to succeed in the face of adversity.
We commit ourselves to ensure that our pastoralist partners in local communities in the global drylands are fully recognized as the stewards of their rangelands and not hindered in their efforts to manage them sustainably.
