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Alert: Land degradation is emerging as a pressing threat to global security.

Published

4 weeks ago

September 22, 2026

Seated is former President of Finland and UNCCD Land Ambassador Tarja Halonen. Standing from left are BSSS President Prof. Paul Hallett, BSSS Executive Director Andrew Morris, and UNCCD CSO Panel Representative Sopiko Babalashvili.

By Witness Radio and British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) teams.

As land degradation spreads globally, its impacts reach beyond the environment, affecting food security, livelihoods, water access, migration, and political stability. The health of our land is becoming a central pillar of global security.

For decades, international security has been framed by borders, military power, and political conflict. Beneath these visible forces lies a quieter foundation: the land itself, which grows our food, supports livelihoods, stores water, and sustains communities.

As land suffers from unsustainable use, drought, and climate pressures, the fallout spreads beyond environmental harm into the economic and social fabric that determines whether communities remain safe and stable.

This connection was brought into sharp focus at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, UNCCD COP17, held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Governments, scientists, Indigenous peoples, pastoralists, civil society organizations, and young people gathered under the theme “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope.”

Though the spotlight was on desertification, drought, and land degradation, participants voiced concerns about a broader crisis involving food systems, water resources, livelihoods, migration, and community stability.

For Rico Rau, Global Focal Point of the UNCCD Youth Caucus, the conventional understanding of security does not capture these realities because access to food and water is fundamental to human survival.

“Security is often defined as war, weapons and conflict,” Rau says, arguing that the ability of societies to provide food and water should be considered part of the same conversation.

His perspective includes land degradation in a broader definition of security, showing how the slow unraveling of natural systems erodes the economic and social bedrock supporting stability.

The consequences are already unfolding in regions where environmental decline collides with poverty, climate stress, and fierce competition for natural resources.

Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, a Chadian environmental activist, geographer, and advocate for Indigenous peoples, points to the Lake Chad region as an example of how ecosystem changes can affect communities whose livelihoods depend directly on land and water.

Lake Chad, which covered roughly 25,000 square kilometers around 1960, has dramatically shrunk. However, the lake fluctuates significantly with rainfall and seasonal hydrological conditions.

Ibrahim says pressure on water and other natural resources has increased competition between communities and countries sharing the basin. At the same time, landscape degradation represents a deeper loss for Indigenous communities whose cultures and livelihoods are tied to the ecosystem.

“Desertification is not only about the land,” Ibrahim says, describing it as a threat to people and the places they call home. “When ecosystems deteriorate, communities can lose access to farming areas, grazing land, water and other resources, creating economic pressures that can eventually contribute to competition, displacement and conflict.” Ibrahim adds.

The link between environmental decline and insecurity does not mean every drought or drop in soil fertility sparks conflict. Instead, ongoing degradation strips away economic and ecological shields that help communities weather storms, leaving them exposed when drought, hunger, poverty, or political turmoil strike together.

This reality hits hardest where farming and livestock underpin family incomes and food supplies. As fertile land dwindles, farmers face shrinking harvests and incomes, while pastoralists must travel farther for pasture and water, increasing pressure on neighboring communities and traditional grazing paths.

The world’s reliance on productive land cannot be overstated, especially as swelling populations and climate change heap even more strain on fragile food systems.

Dr. Karen Daly, a soil scientist and environmental soils and land-use researcher, says the role of soil is increasingly being understood as extending far beyond supporting crop production. She says scientists are paying greater attention to its ability to regulate water, support biodiversity, store carbon, and sustain essential ecosystem functions.

“Land is where food is grown. Healthy soils retain and filter water, support vegetation, and contribute to agricultural resilience. In contrast, degraded soils become less capable of these functions when communities face more frequent climate stresses,” she says.

Figures from COP17 showed that more than 95 percent of food depends on productive land and over a third of the world’s land is degraded. Another estimate cited about 3.2 billion people affected by land degradation.

These numbers reveal why land degradation is not just an environmental issue, but a challenge that reaches deep into the economic and social well-being of entire populations.

A degraded landscape may start as an environmental concern, then become an agricultural crisis, a threat to livelihoods, and finally a social or political emergency when communities can no longer survive on dwindling resources.

Tarja Halonen, former President of Finland and a UNCCD Land Ambassador, connects these environmental pressures to the wider issue of migration and human security.

She acknowledges movement has always been part of human history. Still, she argues people should not be forced from their homes when degraded environmental conditions make it impossible to maintain livelihoods.

Her view expands land restoration beyond environmental protection. Reviving degraded land helps communities keep food on the table, safeguard natural resources, and hold onto places their families have called home for generations.

The link between land and migration is crucial where environmental stress meets poverty, conflict, and limited economic prospects. Land degradation may not be the only reason people leave, but it can tip the balance and drive vulnerable communities to move.

Restoring degraded land also means asking who holds control and whether those who rely on it feel secure enough to invest in its future.

Juliane Wiesenhütter, Team Leader at GIZ, argues that land rights are fundamental to sustainable land management because farmers and communities are less likely to invest long-term in conservation when they are uncertain about future land access.

“If we want people to invest also in land and care for the land they depend on, they need secure rights. So, this is also a very cross-cutting aspect in our work. And also, here at the conference, we have a land tenure decision. Land rights are therefore not a side issue. They are a fundamental part of sustainable land and natural resource management,” she said.

Her perspective puts land governance on equal footing with soil science and environmental policy, making it a cornerstone of true restoration.

These global challenges hit home in Uganda, where land is the heartbeat of agriculture, rural life, investment, and food security. Restoration efforts that focus only on technical fixes and ignore tenure security, land access, and community voices risk missing the realities of those who care for these landscapes.

Land rights can determine whether restoration becomes a long-term investment or a short-lived project. “Where communities have secure rights and control over their resources, they have greater incentive to protect soils, manage vegetation, invest in sustainable agriculture, and maintain ecological functions their livelihoods depend on.”

The discussions at COP17 challenged the idea that solutions to land degradation must come mainly from governments and scientists. Indigenous peoples and local communities carry generations of wisdom about soils, plants, water, seasons, and ecosystems. Many participants insisted modern restoration must include this knowledge.

Ibrahim described traditional ecological knowledge within her own community, including the importance of particular trees and plants in maintaining ecosystems and restoring degraded lands. She contends that true restoration is about more than counting trees; the choice of species, the state of the land, and the intricate ties among ecosystem elements all shape whether restoration will last.

“We should involve the local communities because we are the guardians of the land. You cannot talk about our home without us. We are the ones who know how to protect it, how to restore it.” She added.

For communities whose lives, cultures, and identities are rooted in specific landscapes, participation goes beyond a seat at international conferences. It is about whether those most affected by environmental choices have a real voice in shaping solutions. “So, if you want a full solution, our voices must be at the tables,” she added.

This principle also applies to pastoralists, whose stewardship of rangelands drew new attention at COP17. Rangelands cover vast areas and sustain hundreds of millions. Pastoralists’ mobility lets livestock adapt to shifting conditions and allows the land time to recover.

Mariana Kapowich-Solomon, a soil scientist and land-degradation expert who has worked with FAO and UNDP, argues scientific knowledge has little value if it remains distant from people experiencing land degradation.

“Science has to touch the ground,” she says, emphasizing the need for research to reach farmers and communities and respond to each country’s conditions and priorities.

In her view, science should point to practical solutions people can use, not drift from the gritty realities of degraded landscapes.

Andrew Morris, Executive Director of the BSSS and the Western European Civil Society Organization (CSO) panel representative of the UNCCD, says COP17 marked growing recognition of soils and land restoration as strategic priorities, rather than issues confined to the environmental agenda, adding that one of the most important developments was the stronger integration of scientific evidence into policy discussions.

“This is essential, if we’re going to get sensible policies and create lasting change.” Morris said, describing the development “as a sign that the global conversation around land is becoming more mature, more ambitious and more action-oriented.”

“The community that came together at COP was amazing,” he says. “It was a real mix of cultures, religions, and ethnicities that, in the main, put aside domestic politics, ideals of nationhood and memories of previous disagreements to unite and deliver a clear and sober voice that resonates globally. We are in this together; we have the solutions, we need to unite and be given the vehicle and opportunity to enact lasting change,” he says.

As land degradation collides with climate stress, poverty, hunger, and migration, the health of our planet’s land is taking center stage in the global security conversation.

This article was produced through a partnership between Witness Radio and the British Society of Soil Science (BSSS), based on voices and recordings from the BSSS Soil Matters podcast recorded during the UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Learn more about the British Society of Soil Science: soils.org.uk

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

World Food Day 2026: Building healthy diets means reimagining how we grow, share, and enjoy our food.

Published

19 hours ago

October 16, 2026

witnessradio.org

By the Witness Radio team.

In 2024, hunger affected an estimated 673 million people worldwide, the 2025 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report reveals, underscoring the urgent need to ensure everyone can access enough nutritious food.

Africa bears a heavy share of this crisis. Hunger affects about 307 million people, more than one in five on the continent. If nothing changes, experts warn that by 2030, as many as 512 million people could face chronic undernourishment, with nearly 60 percent living in Africa.

These numbers make it clear: we must transform our food systems now. It is not just about growing more food; it’s about ensuring everyone can enjoy diets that are diverse, safe, nourishing, and rooted in culture.

On World Food Day 2026, celebrated under the banner “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow,” leaders urged the world to invest boldly in healthy eating, indigenous food traditions and agricultural breakthroughs that truly serve people’s needs.

Italy’s Minister for Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida, called for greater attention to healthy, balanced and sustainable diets, linking food consumption to human health, cultural heritage and environmental protection.

“To nourish tomorrow, it isn’t enough to invest in innovation and research and in waste reduction. We must also promote dietary habits that are healthy, balanced and sustainable, capitalizing on the deep link between food, health, culture and territory,” Lollobrigida said.

He highlighted Italy’s food culture as a living example of how what we eat can weave together nutrition, environmental care, and the fabric of social life.

“Food isn’t just nutrition; it’s a way of spending time together defending and protecting our environment and our health,” he said.

The minister also urged everyone to unite to tackle food waste, a challenge that stretches from farm fields to family tables. He stressed that governments, businesses, researchers and consumers must join forces through smart policies, new technologies and better food education to end waste.

While Italy’s minister focused on eating habits, King Letsie III of Lesotho, David Mohato Bereng Seeiso, called on African nations to embrace their indigenous foods, crops and traditional wisdom to boost nutrition.

The King noted Africa’s rich tapestry of traditional foods, livestock and aquatic resources, many perfectly suited to local environments and packed with nutrition. Yet he observed researchers, markets and public campaigns too often overlook these treasures.

“Countries must be assisted to promote indigenous traditional and underutilized foods as part of healthier diets, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation and local economic development,” he said.

He added that building value chains around locally adapted foods could open doors for smallholder farmers, women and young entrepreneurs, all while helping communities safeguard their food heritage.

“While restoring pride in Africa’s food heritage, innovation does not mean abandoning tradition; it means combining the best of modern science with the knowledge and experience of our communities. Nourishing tomorrow should also begin with investing in children today,” King Letsie III added.

His words highlight the need to help farmers preserve locally adapted crops and seeds while harnessing science to boost harvests and nutrition.

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said scientific innovation should be judged by its contribution to people’s lives rather than by technological advances alone.

“Innovation is not only about the technology, but it’s also about people. It is about enabling people to turn knowledge into opportunity, science into solutions and hope into action,” he said.

He cited satellite monitoring, early-warning systems, improved irrigation, and digital technologies as tools that can help farmers protect harvests, manage resources, and access markets and financial services.

Today, science provides farmers with tools previous generations could hardly have imagined. Satellites monitor crops from space, helping detect threats before harvests are lost. Early warning systems give farming families time to prepare for droughts, floods and other risks. Smarter irrigation lets farmers produce more food while using less water. Digital technologies connect rural communities to markets, financial services, and networks once out of reach, especially for smallholder farmers. These innovations can strengthen food security, stabilize incomes and create better opportunities for future generations.

Yet innovation alone is not enough. Its true value lies in reaching those who need it most and ensuring successful solutions can be shared and scaled up. The most effective innovations are those developed with farmers and rural communities, considering their needs, knowledge and local conditions, he said.

King Letsie III said transforming food systems requires political leadership, stronger institutions, and adequate nutrition financing.

“Our parOur parliamentarians approve budgets, enact laws, oversee government action and represent citizens’ priorities. I therefore welcome FAO’s engagement with the Pan-African Parliament and national and sub-regional parliamentary alliances on food security and nutrition. Through parliamentary capacity development, FAO is helping legislators create stronger enabling environments. Parliamentarians can and should champion adequate financing for nutrition, protect school meal budgets, promote healthy food environments, improve food safety laws, support women and youth and hold institutions accountable for the commitments made to our people.” He said.

He highlighted school feeding programs as one way to improve children’s diets while creating markets for locally produced food.

Nutritious school meals are a strategic investment that can improve diets, attendance, and learning; strengthen social protection; and create steady demand for locally produced food. Homegrown school meals connect agriculture, nutrition, education and local economic development. School meals should do more than relieve short-term hunger. They should support physical and cognitive development, encourage lifelong healthy habits, strengthen local economies and provide practical learning on nutrition, food safety, hygiene, biodiversity and respect for food. Safe water, sanitation and hygiene are also essential to ensure every meal advances health, dignity and learning, he added.

These leaders’ voices send a clear message: we must bridge the gap between what is grown in fields and what nourishes people’s bodies and lives.

Africa needs stronger links among farmers, researchers, universities, policymakers, entrepreneurs and investors. Solutions that show promise must move beyond pilots and laboratories, be adapted to local realities and scaled through effective institutions and sustainable financing,” the King said.

He emphasized that young people must be at the heart of this movement, with skills, funding, land, digital tools, mentors, and access to markets.

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International Day of Rural Women : Rural women farmers deserve not only equal rights and access to resources, but also the strength and voice to safeguard Mother Nature.

Published

19 hours ago

October 16, 2026

witnessradio.org

By the Witness Radio Team.

As the world marks the International Day of Rural Women on 15 October 2026, with the theme “Rural Women Farmers Caring for Mother Nature,” the spotlight shines on women whose tireless efforts nourish food systems, shield biodiversity, and safeguard the natural resources that sustain entire communities.

This year’s celebration carries special weight as the United Nations declares 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer, spotlighting women’s vital roles across agri-food systems, from planting seeds to driving trade. This recognition opens the door to challenge the persistent inequalities that threaten women’s livelihoods and silence their voices in decisions about agriculture, land, and the environment.

In its statement marking the day, UN Women called for rural women’s rights, resources and decision-making power to match their contributions to food systems and environmental protection.

“On this day, we celebrate their knowledge and leadership in building a more resilient future. Yet their rights, resources and decision-making power too often fall short of their contributions,” UN Women said.

The agency called on governments and other groups to ensure women have enforceable rights to land, water, and natural resources. It also asked for better access to finance, markets, technology, and agricultural services, as well as decent work, social protection, and strong infrastructure. The agency highlighted the need to recognize, reduce, and share women’s unpaid care work.

These calls to action highlight the stark inequalities rural women endure. They are the backbone of community nourishment and environmental stewardship, yet too often they lack the resources and influence needed to improve their lives and shape the future.

Ambassador Ada Francisca de Asis Hernández Rivera, the Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Program (WFP), underscored rural women’s importance in eradicating poverty, ending hunger and transforming agri-food systems into more inclusive, resilient and sustainable systems.

She noted that women contribute to food production, biodiversity conservation, sustainable ecosystem management and the resilience of families and communities. Yet many still face barriers to accessing land, financial services, technology, information, markets, and technical assistance, as well as opportunities to participate in decision-making.

“These inequalities, of course, will reduce their opportunities and limit the potential of family farming to contribute completely to sustainable development,” she said.

Karina David, a representative of the Intercontinental Network of Organic Farmers Organizations (INFO) and the Rural Women in Action Network, also highlighted the gap between recognizing women’s contributions and addressing the inequalities they face.

David cited findings indicating that 75 percent of agricultural policy documents across 68 countries recognize women’s roles and challenges, but only 19 percent contain clear gender equality goals.

She argued that closing this gap is not only a matter of equality but also essential to improving food security, household incomes, resilience and rural development.

“Gender inequality has a real cost, and if I were to close the gap between women and men in the agri-food system, it could add almost $1 trillion to the global economy and reduce food insecurity for 45 million people,” she said.

The findings make it clear: governments must move beyond words and turn promises into real policies, funding, and programs that break down the barriers holding women farmers back.

The scale of women’s participation in agri-food systems further underscores why empowering them must be a priority. Tako Ndiaye, a team leader on gender issues in FAO’s Division for Rural Transformation and Gender Equality, cited findings from a report on the status of women in agri-food systems showing that 41 percent of working women globally are employed in these systems.

She noted that agri-food systems are particularly important sources of livelihoods for women in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, where 70 percent of working women in each region are employed in the sector.

Ndiaye also emphasized the importance of empowering women farmers, their organizations, and networks to participate effectively in family farming policymaking. She called for stronger roles for gender experts and women’s organizations in monitoring the implementation of policy commitments.

Women farmers do more than feed rural economies; they champion environmental sustainability. They conserve seeds, nurture biodiversity, manage precious water, and heal degraded land, using wisdom and practices that keep ecosystems thriving and help communities withstand the challenges of climate change.

Yet their ability to continue this vital work depends on access to land, financial support, modern technologies, and other resources that let them farm sustainably and adapt to a changing environment.

UN Women has called on governments, financial institutions, businesses, and development partners to invest directly in rural women and remove barriers that limit their economic independence and environmental leadership.

The agency also stressed that rural women must have a meaningful role in shaping agricultural policies and decisions on funding allocation for climate action, biodiversity conservation, and land restoration.

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

ODPP Staff Equipped With New Skills on Land Crimes, Witness Protection and Victims Rights

Published

2 days ago

October 15, 2026

witnessradio.org

Mpigi – The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), through the Department of Land Crimes and the Department of Witness Protection and Victim Empowerment, early this week, held a stakeholders’ engagement at the Mpigi Regional Office to enhance the capacity of prosecutors and investigators in the management of land crimes, witness protection and victims’ rights and empowerment.

The engagement brought together prosecutors and investigators from the region to share knowledge, exchange experiences and explore practical solutions to challenges affecting the effective investigation and prosecution of land-related offences, while strengthening the protection of witnesses and the empowerment of victims within the criminal justice system.

In her welcome remarks, the Regional Officer, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Ms. Rachel Bikhole, welcomed the participants and facilitators to the Mpigi Regional Office. She appreciated the Departments of Land Crimes and Witness Protection and Victim Empowerment for collaborating with the Regional Office to equip prosecutors and investigators with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve service delivery.

The Head of the Department of Land Crimes, Mr. Andrew Odiit, noted that the engagement was timely, given that the region has the highest number of registered land cases in Central Uganda. He expressed optimism that the engagement would provide a valuable platform for sharing experiences, addressing existing challenges and identifying practical solutions to improve the management of land crimes.

Participants received presentations from Mr. Atuhaire Godwin, the Registrar of Titles at Mpigi Zonal Office, who took them through land transfers and registration in Uganda. He explained the procedures and requirements for effective land registration, equipping participants with a better understanding of the processes involved in land transactions and documentation.

Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Dr. Daisy Nabasitu and Deputy Assistant Superintendent of Police (D/ASP) Bernice Aine respectively made presentations on the prosecution and investigation of land crimes. They highlighted the challenges encountered in handling land-related offences and shared best practices to strengthen investigations and prosecutions.

The Head of the Department of Witness Protection and Victim Empowerment, Mr. Charles Kaamuli, sensitised participants on the legal framework governing witness protection, including the circumstances under which a person may qualify for protection under the law. He also emphasised the importance of empowering victims by guiding them through court processes, explaining what is expected of them and keeping them informed about developments in their cases.

Mr. Kaamuli urged prosecutors to make greater use of the Department of Witness Protection and Victim Empowerment, particularly in cases involving vulnerable witnesses who may require protection and support throughout the criminal justice process.

The engagement underscored the importance of collaboration among prosecutors, investigators and other stakeholders in addressing land crimes, protecting vulnerable witnesses and upholding victims’ rights.

Source: ugstandard.com

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Alert: Land degradation is emerging as a pressing threat to global security.

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MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

Alert: Land degradation is emerging as a pressing threat to global security.

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

World Food Day 2026: Building healthy diets means reimagining how we grow, share, and enjoy our food.

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

International Day of Rural Women : Rural women farmers deserve not only equal rights and access to resources, but also the strength and voice to safeguard Mother Nature.

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

ODPP Staff Equipped With New Skills on Land Crimes, Witness Protection and Victims Rights

World Food Day 2026: Building healthy diets means reimagining how we grow, share, and enjoy our food.

International Day of Rural Women : Rural women farmers deserve not only equal rights and access to resources, but also the strength and voice to safeguard Mother Nature.

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