India Calls for Community-Led Restoration of Rangelands at UNCCD COP17
Context:
At the 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, which is recently going on, India called for community-led and science-based restoration of rangelands.
What are Rangelands?
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- Rangelands are natural or semi-natural ecosystems such as grasslands, shrublands, savannas and open woodlands that are predominantly grazed by livestock and wild animals. Unlike intensive agricultural lands, they are generally managed through grazing practices rather than intensive cultivation.
- Rangelands are important for pastoral livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, carbon storage, soil health and water regulation. Globally, they cover more than half of the Earth's land surface and support millions of pastoralists and livestock-dependent communities.
- In India, rangelands occur across diverse landscapes, from the Thar Desert and Kachchh to Himalayan pastures, Central Indian savannas and Southern sholas. India's permanent pastures and grazing lands cover approximately 10 million hectares.
- Rangelands are natural or semi-natural ecosystems such as grasslands, shrublands, savannas and open woodlands that are predominantly grazed by livestock and wild animals. Unlike intensive agricultural lands, they are generally managed through grazing practices rather than intensive cultivation.
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About India's Approach to Rangeland Restoration:
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- At the conference, India emphasised an integrated approach combining landscape management, watershed development, sustainable grazing, fodder development and livelihood support. Community participation and secure land tenure were identified as essential for successful restoration.
- India stressed that pastoralists should be treated as custodians rather than merely beneficiaries of restoration programmes. Combining their traditional knowledge with modern scientific methods can make restoration ecologically sustainable and socially inclusive.
- Recognition of grazing rights and Community Forest Resource rights can further strengthen community participation.
- The example of Orans (sacred groves) in Rajasthan demonstrates India's traditional community-conservation practices. Around 25,000 community-protected sacred groves, covering approximately 0.6 million hectares, were highlighted as examples of conservation linked with cultural traditions and pastoral land rights. Such landscapes also provide important habitats, including for the Great Indian Bustard.
- At the conference, India emphasised an integrated approach combining landscape management, watershed development, sustainable grazing, fodder development and livelihood support. Community participation and secure land tenure were identified as essential for successful restoration.
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About UNCCD COP17:
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- UNCCD COP17 is being held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from August 17–28, 2026, under the theme “Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.” The conference focuses on converting land-restoration commitments into concrete action and finance.
- The COP also has special relevance because 2026 is the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP).
- UNCCD COP17 is being held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from August 17–28, 2026, under the theme “Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.” The conference focuses on converting land-restoration commitments into concrete action and finance.
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About UNCCD:
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- The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was established in 1994 and is one of the three Rio Conventions, along with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
- Its central objective is to combat desertification, land degradation and drought, particularly in dryland regions.
- A major global objective is Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) under SDG Target 15.3, which seeks to achieve a land-degradation-neutral world by 2030.
- India has pledged to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030. It reported restoration of about 21.76 million hectares during 2011–2020.
- The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was established in 1994 and is one of the three Rio Conventions, along with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
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Conclusion:
India's approach shows that land restoration cannot succeed through government action alone. Empowering local communities, protecting pastoralist rights and combining traditional knowledge with modern science can make restoration both environmentally effective and socially sustainable. Strengthening finance, technology and international cooperation will be crucial for achieving global land-restoration goals.
