Rangelands — grasslands, shrublands, savannas, and steppes — cover more than half of the world’s land surface. They sustain pastoralist communities, support biodiversity, regulate water cycles, store carbon, and are the foundation of food security for hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Yet today, up to half of all rangelands are degraded or at risk, threatened by climate change, unsustainable land use, and decades of neglect in global policy.

Afghanistan is among the countries most severely affected by desertification and drought. Decades of conflict combined with climate change have accelerated land degradation across the country. The daily reality for Afghan communities:

This year’s observance — hosted by Kenya — calls on the world to take three steps for rangelands and the communities who depend on them.