A new study by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has revealed concerning levels of agricultural land degradation, particularly in the Arab region, where more than 46 million hectares of agricultural land-two-thirds of the 70 million hectares affected by human-induced degradation-are at risk. Published in the MDPI journal Agriculture, the study stresses the urgent need to restore degraded lands and improve food security.
Globally, FAO estimates that 1.66 billion hectares are degraded due to human activities, with over 60 percent of this affecting agricultural lands, including croplands and pastures. Given that 95 percent of global food production depends on land, this widespread degradation poses significant challenges to agrifood systems.
The study calls for integrated solutions to prevent, reduce, and reverse land degradation. It emphasizes sustainable soil, land, and water management, urging the international community to prioritize agrifood system transformation to achieve land degradation neutrality (LDN), boost productivity, preserve biodiversity, and address climate change impacts.
Key findings from the study include:
- The Arab region exhibits particularly alarming rates of land degradation, with cropland being especially vulnerable. Factors contributing to this degradation include excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, soil salinization from irrigation practices, increased occurrences of sand and dust storms, rising temperatures, and water scarcity linked to climate change.
- With less than 4 percent of land in the Arab region designated for restoration, the region is falling short of global targets. Restoring 26 million hectares of degraded cropland could reduce the yield gap by up to 50 percent for oil crops and enable cereal, root, and tuber crops to reach their potential yields.
- The findings underscore the pressing need for a dedicated regional initiative - which would facilitate collaboration among countries - tailored to local contexts and focused on restoring agricultural lands to enhance food security, reduce poverty, and build sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.
Building on existing regional and global momentum, including the Riyadh Action Agenda launched at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) in December 2024, the proposed initiative aims to reinforce efforts to advance land restoration, improve drought and water resilience, and promote sustainable agrifood systems, thereby preventing further degradation.
FAO's work on ecosystem restoration and against desertification in the Arab region
The Arab region is an area acutely affected by desertification, land degradation, and drought. At COP16 - held in the Arab region for the first time - FAO emphasized the urgent need to restore degraded agricultural lands as a cornerstone for transforming agrifood systems and ensuring food security. This contributed to and helped shape the landmark UNCCD decision on agricultural land - Decision 19/COP.16 Avoiding, reducing and reversing land and soil degradation of agricultural lands.
FAO also leads the NENA Regional Investment Framework for Ecosystem Restoration and Development Solutions, developed in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), UNCCD, and the League of Arab States. This initiative promotes "champion countries" to lead scalable restoration projects across the region.
In addition, FAO launched the Suitability Crop Platform, an innovative tool providing vital soil and crop data to guide sustainable agricultural planning. These efforts are part of a broader push to integrate land restoration into national policies, enhance resilience to climate change, and support biodiversity and livelihoods in dryland areas of the Arab region.
