Farming News - FAO study reveals alarming agricultural land degradation in the Arab region
News
FAO study reveals alarming agricultural land degradation in the Arab region
Two-thirds of the 70 million hectares affected by human-induced degradation — over 46 million hectares — are agricultural land
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.
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.