Global Land Degradation Threatens Agricultural Supply Chains as UN Calls for Investment in Sustainable Solutions

Up to 40 percent of the world's land is degraded, threatening global food security, supply chain resilience, and over half of global economic output. According to assessments by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the decline of soil fertility, worsening droughts, and unsustainable agricultural practices directly affect more than three billion people, disproportionately hitting vulnerable rural communities.

Without decisive intervention, land degradation is projected to reduce global food productivity by up to 12 percent over the coming decades, causing agricultural commodity prices to surge by as much as 30 percent. The resulting strain threatens key supply corridors for grains, livestock feed, and essential cash crops, exposing businesses and governments to heightened price volatility and raw material shortages.

The economic case for sustainable land management (SLM) and nature-based solutions (NbS) is significant. While global inaction is estimated to cost nearly $878 billion annually, every single dollar invested in land restoration yields an estimated economic return between $7 and $30 in improved crop yields, carbon sequestration, and water retention.

Scaling up practices such as regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, minimum-tillage farming, and watershed restoration is increasingly seen not merely as an environmental priority, but as productive economic capital essential for long-term food security and sustainable growth.