South Africa celebrates Desertification and Drought Day 2026
The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Bernice Swarts, today commemorated Desertification and Drought Day (DDD) 2026 which is celebrated globally every year on 17 June. The theme for the 2026 day is: Rangelands: Recognise. Respect. Restore, and focuses on the importance of rangelands as biodiversity hotspots and natural providers of food security, clean drinking water, jobs and opportunities for socio-economic development.
Rangelands cover large parts of the world's surface area, contributing towards the provision of various ecosystem services such as livestock grazing, carbon sequestration, water regulation and biodiversity conservation. However, they represent some of the most vulnerable and degraded ecosystems. Continued degradation of these ecosystems poses threats to agricultural production and climate change adaptation as well as putting pressure on the livelihoods of many communities.
The aim of this year’s commemoration is to create awareness about the multiple advantages of sustainable land management and ecosystem restoration. Healthy rangelands not only provide benefits in terms of food security, climate change adaptation and water resource management but also provide opportunities for job creation and establishment of green businesses.
In order to achieve the above goals, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, with the assistance of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is implementing the Global Environment Facility-funded project entitled: Mainstreaming Sustainable Land Management for Large-Scale Impact in the Grazing Lands of Limpopo and Northern Cape Provinces in South Africa.
The Project is making a tangible contribution towards community well-being. For example, two boreholes were officially handed over to the communities of Rietfontein and Philandersbron, improving water availability in these drought-stricken areas. Also, 84 beneficiaries consisting of women, young people, and persons with disabilities, received training and employed to work in the invasive plant species removal programme in the amount of 700 hectares, giving special attention to the highly problematic alien Prosopis species.
In addition to the above project, an accompanying small grant project is being implemented from April 2026 to April 2027, creating 10 temporary jobs for sustainable land management and food security.
Deputy Minister Swarts has emphasised the importance of protecting and restoring our land resources through sustainable land management. "Together we need to work towards ensuring sustainable land management and environmental stewardship to ensure healthier ecosystems and strengthened socio-economic conditions of rural communities,” stated Deputy Minister Swarts.
For media enquiries, please contact: Zolile Nqayi on 082 898 6483 / znqayi@dffe.gov.za
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