Since 1994, the United Nations (UN) marks June 17 as Desertification and Drought Day. However, the reason behind this international day is far from celebratory, it highlights one of the most serious challenges humanity faces for its own survival. The 2025 theme emphasizes that the day is not only about raising awareness of the risks but also about presenting practical solutions with real economic and social benefits:“Restore the land. Unlock the opportunities.”
It is no coincidence that the 2025 campaign focuses on productive land. According to a press release published on the website of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), around 1 million square kilometers of healthy, fertile land become unusable each year – an area roughly the size of Egypt. To reverse this alarming trend, the UN has set an ambitious goal: to restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030.
The Desertification and Drought Day serves as a wake-up call, urging governments, businesses, and communities to take immediate action through practical solutions.
Why Is Combating Drought Important?
Drought and land degradation are not only environmental crises, but also serious economic and social threats.
As Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD, points out:
„Land degradation and drought are major disruptors of our economy, stability, food production, water and quality of life. They amplify climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty, forced migration and conflicts over access to fertile land and water. Land restoration is an opportunity to turn the tide on these alarming trends. A restored land is a land of endless opportunities. It’s time to unlock them now.”
Estimates suggest that every dollar invested in land restoration can yield an economic return of 7 to 30 dollars. Despite this, only USD 66 billion is currently invested in such efforts globally each year, with just 6 percent coming from the private sector.
Although investments in drought resilience are profitable in the long run, capital flows into this area are still insufficient.
This funding gap is highlighted in the UNCCD’s latest financial assessment, which finds that to effectively combat desertification, land degradation, and drought, global investments must rise to USD 1 billion per day — or roughly USD 365 billion per year — between 2025 and 2030. Reaching this goal will require unlocking new sources of financing, embracing innovative solutions, and recognizing the value of traditional knowledge.
A Global Concern
Productive land is not only essential for food supply – it is also a foundation of the economy and society. More than half of the world’s GDP depends directly on natural resources.
If land is degraded, the future is at risk.
Drought Prevention Institute
Recognizing this, the Drought Prevention Institute of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was established following an agreement signed on November 10, 2022, between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary and the Secretariat of the OTS.
Operated by HEPA Hungarian Export Promotion Agency, the Institute applies a comprehensive approach that considers environmental, social, and economic aspects. Its mission is to identify and implement multilateral development projects in the OTS region. These efforts aim to reduce the vulnerability of member states to water scarcity caused by climate change.
The expected benefits are tangible: according to the UN report cited above, building resilience against drought delivers a wide range of social and environmental benefits, while generating economic returns that far exceed the initial investments.
This initiative carries a strong Hungarian added value, as the Drought Prevention Institute heavily relies on Hungarian expertise, knowledge, and technology across areas such as climate adaptation, water management, urban development, sustainable agriculture, and green energy.
In line with the above mentioned, DPI publishes calls for expressions of interest for legal entities active in the OTS region to attract applications targeting drought prevention through sustainable agriculture and rural development solutions in the DPI Thematic Focus Areas including sustainable agriculture, water resource management, afforestation, early warning and monitoring systems for drought and green finance frameworks. The purpose is to enable DPI to leverage its convening power and financial capacities to mobilize international partnerships and financing to demand-driven projects selected for implementation.