One of the most pressing problems facing our world today is the advance of deserts and the droughts this causes. June 17 is officially the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. It was created by the United Nations to draw attention to the seriousness of farmland and forests lost to deserts. The UN General Assembly drew up the “Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa”. This long-titled initiative hopes to reverse desertification. To do this, agencies must educate poorer nations about the dangers of land degradation. Such education is one way to help reduce poverty and encourage sustainable development.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a speech that “land degradation affects a significant portion of the Earth’s arable lands, directly impacting the well-being of people and economic development of countries”. He added that: “As the population grows, and with it the demand for agriculture production, traditional systems of managing the land are collapsing.” Mr. Ban said the UN must work harder to reduce poverty and protect dry lands. He told the world: “The time has come for the international community to recognize that dry land, where nearly half of the world’s poor live, is not waste land. Rather, they are potential areas for agricultural intensification for both food and energy needs.”

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