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Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary,
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
We need to think outside of the box in order to preserve our land and forest resources in drylands,
because desertification, which means land degradation in drylands, can easily lead to forest degradation.
However, a healthy forest in these habitats can play a multiple role – from buffering against drought and
land degradation, to preserving rich biodiversity. Forests cover about 18 per cent of land in drylands, and
represent a natural capital for adaptation and mitigation to climate change. More importantly, they offer a
safety net against poverty by providing a vital ecosystem of goods and services.
The real significance of forests in drylands, however, is not only the protection of one third of the global
population who live there; but for the forests’ impact on food security for those of us who live in non-
dryland regions. If you consider that 44 per cent of the world’s food production systems and 50 per cent of
its livestock are in drylands, you will see how important the preservation and restoration of its soil is for all
of us. Land degradation over the next 25 years is forecast to reduce global food production by up to 12 per
cent, resulting in an increase in world food prices by as much as 30 per cent. For global food security, the
availability of land for farming will be key to maintaining medium- and long-term food supplies and price
stability. In this regard, agroforestry offers a promising avenue for land restoration, while feeding the poor.
Agroforestry is driving the Greening of the Sahel in West Africa, where land improvement is occurring on more
than five million hectares.
Land degradation and desertification imply forest degradation and vice versa. If we continue to
underestimate the importance of forests in drylands, their sustainable management and conservation
activities will never attract adequate technical resources and financial investments. The existing and potential
contribution of the drylands will never be realized without investing in the prevention and reversal of forest
and tree degradation in the drylands. May we never forget that forests keep the drylands working.
Luc Gnacadja
Executive Secretary
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification