NAIROBI, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Protecting African rangelands is crucial for food security, climate resilience, and the livelihoods of nomadic communities, officials said Friday in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, ahead of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on June 17.
Huyam Ahmed Mohammed Elamin Salih, director of the African Union's Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources, noted a growing consensus to transform the continent's vast drylands into productive oases to support climate-resilient pastoralism, farming, and broader climate adaptation.
"By transforming these rangelands through improved conservation, we are guaranteed resilient livelihoods for pastoralists and their ability to cope with climate shocks," Salih said.
Siboniso Moyo, deputy director general for research, partnerships and impact at the International Livestock Research Institute, noted that rangelands are key to the survival of 250 million African pastoralists who generate more than 75 percent of the continent's milk and more than half of its meat.
Across the Horn of Africa, livestock systems contribute up to 60 percent of agricultural gross domestic product, making it vital to restore the ecological health of arid and semi-arid landscapes, Moyo said.
She urged governments to leverage indigenous knowledge of nomads and invest in remote-sensing tools to restore the ecological health of African rangelands, currently reeling from climatic stresses, population pressure, poor land-use practices, and competition for pasture and water.
"Investing in rangelands is more than an environmental priority. It is an investment in food security, economic growth, climate adaptation, peace-building, and sustainable development," Moyo added.
Kenya will host the 2026 global observance of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought in the coastal county of Kilifi under the theme "Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore."
Organized in partnership with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the event will highlight the role of drylands in strengthening climate resilience, conserving biodiversity, and enhancing food, water, and energy security, while celebrating the cultural heritage and livelihoods of nomadic and indigenous pastoralist communities worldwide. ■