MoEFCC Marks World Day to Combat Desertification with Key Workshop

On the occasion of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2025, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, organized a landmark one-day national workshop at the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education – Arid Forest Research Institute (ICFRE-AFRI), Jodhpur. Themed “Strategies for Combating Desertification and Drought,” the event spotlighted sustainable land management (SLM) practices to combat environmental degradation in India’s arid and semi-arid ecosystems.

Union Ministers Lead Dialogue on Ecological Stewardship

The workshop was inaugurated by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, who was joined by Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Rajya Sabha MP Shri Rajendra Gehlot. In his keynote address, Shri Yadav underscored the government’s proactive approach to ecological conservation, noting India’s long-standing commitment to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

He stressed that nearly 30% of India’s landmass is vulnerable to desertification and degradation, largely due to unsustainable agricultural practices, overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and declining water resources. “The health of our land is directly linked to food security, biodiversity conservation, and economic resilience,” Shri Yadav emphasized.

Innovative Community-Led Initiatives Launched

The Minister presented a suite of community-centric, landscape-scale restoration models, including:

• Amrit Sarovars: A government-led initiative to rejuvenate and restore water bodies across drought-prone regions, contributing to biodiversity and groundwater recharge.

• Matri Van: A tree-planting movement encouraging citizens to plant trees in their mothers' names, particularly in the Aravalli landscape, fostering emotional and environmental stewardship.

• Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam: A national campaign promoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to instill respect for nature by planting a tree in honor of one’s mother, symbolizing the nurturing role of “Mother Earth.”

“These initiatives go beyond symbolic gestures—they are strategic interventions to rebuild ecological balance,” said Shri Yadav. “The Aravalli Range, once a cradle of Indian civilization, must again become a bulwark against the advancing Thar Desert.”

Aravalli Mountain Range: A National Ecological Asset

Union Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the ecological significance of the 700-kilometer-long Aravalli Mountain range that spans 29 districts across multiple states. “The Aravallis are not only rich in biodiversity but are crucial for water conservation, groundwater recharge, and maintaining climatic balance,” he noted.

He emphasized the role of the Aravallis in acting as a natural shield against desertification, especially in Eastern Rajasthan, Haryana, and the National Capital Region. “While many parts of the world are witnessing a net loss in forest cover, India has seen a steady rise. Much of this progress is owed to community-led conservation,” he added.

Shri Shekhawat also called for a renewed sense of duty toward preserving this geological heritage. “We owe it to our ancestors and our descendants to safeguard the Aravallis, which have supported life and civilization for millennia.”

Key Publications and Technological Tools Unveiled

Several important documents and tools were released during the event to support knowledge dissemination and on-ground implementation:

• Information Booklet on Aravalli Districts: A detailed guide for regional planning and ecological monitoring.

• Revised Mission Document of the Green India Mission: Updated strategies for afforestation and forest-based livelihoods.

• Book on Sustainable Land Management (SLM): Capturing best practices, innovations, and field experiences.

• Launch of the National Afforestation Monitoring System (NAMS): A digital platform for real-time afforestation tracking and transparency.

• Distribution of AFRI Shesham Clones: Ten progressive farmers were honored with superior-quality clones of Dalbergia sissoo (Shesham), known for its ecological and economic value.

All publications are accessible to the public at moef.gov.in/guidelinesdocuments.

Technical Sessions: Global Lessons, Local Action

The workshop featured in-depth technical sessions on:

• Sustainable Land Management (SLM): Presented by MoEFCC and ICFRE, with a focus on integrating local knowledge and scientific methods for restoring degraded landscapes.

• Global and National Case Studies: Showcased by development partners such as UNDP, Asian Development Bank (ADB), GIZ, KfW, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and the World Bank.

• Aravalli Green Wall Project: Deliberations on coordinated inter-state efforts to rehabilitate the Aravalli range as a natural barrier to desert expansion.

• Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN): Policy dialogues involving state agencies, NGOs, and scientific bodies like SAC and CAZRI for coordinated desertification mitigation.

India’s Path to a Green Economy by 2047

Looking ahead, Shri Bhupender Yadav reaffirmed India’s vision of becoming a global ecological leader by 2047—the centenary of Indian independence—by aligning green policies with economic growth. “Our economic vision cannot be divorced from environmental stewardship,” he stated. “A Viksit Bharat must also be a sustainable Bharat.”

The workshop concluded with a collective reaffirmation of India’s commitment to achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) by 2030 under the UNCCD framework. The emphasis on science-based, participatory, and policy-driven solutions stood as a testament to India’s leadership on global environmental platforms.

Dignitaries in Attendance

The event was attended by senior officials including Shri Sushil Kumar Awasthi (DG, Forests), A.K. Mohanty (ADG, Forest), Smt. Kanchan Devi (DG, ICFRE), Dr. Tarun Kant (Director, AFRI), and other central and state dignitaries, scientists, policymakers, and community leaders.