Kenya has called for urgent international action to restore degraded lands and strengthen resilience against drought and climate-related challenges.
Speaking at a high-level side event of the 17th Session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Eng. Festus Ng’eno, said land is central to Kenya’s food systems, water security, biodiversity, livelihoods and economic development.
Ng’eno said land degradation poses a direct threat to communities through drought, food insecurity, poverty and loss of livelihoods. He called for stronger international cooperation, predictable financing, technology and knowledge transfer, as well as proactive drought preparedness and resilience measures.
He cited Kenya’s severe 2021–2022 drought, which caused significant livestock and wildlife losses and widespread crop failure, as evidence of the urgent need to restore degraded landscapes and strengthen vulnerable communities.
Ng’eno said land restoration should deliver tangible benefits, including food and water security, employment, biodiversity conservation, healthier soils and resilient economies.
Kenya also seeks to learn from Mongolia and other countries on sustainable rangeland management, pastoralism, community participation, innovative financing, science and technology.