The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed annually to promote public awareness of international efforts to combat desertification. It seeks to remind everyone that land degradation neutrality is achievable through problem-solving, strong community involvement and cooperation at all levels.
Desertification is the degradation of land in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, caused primarily by human activities and climatic variations. Desertification does not refer to the expansion of existing deserts. It occurs because dryland ecosystems, (about one-third of the world's land area) are extremely vulnerable to overexploitation and inappropriate land use. Poverty, political instability, deforestation, overgrazing and bad irrigation practices can all undermine land productivity.