(MENAFN- Caribbean News Global) ROME – Addressing land degradation across landholding scales is not only a technical challenge but a societal imperative. The evidence presented in this report underscores the urgency of reversing land degradation to safeguard food security, sustain livelihoods and preserve the ecological functions that underpin agrifood systems. Yet, the path forward must be as diverse and dynamic as the landscapes and land users it seeks to support.

The way forward

First, land degradation must be understood within the broader context of land-use decisions – shaped by local choices and global drivers such as trade, climate change and demographic transitions. Farmers, as private actors, make decisions primarily based on productivity and profitability. This means that efforts to promote sustainable land management must take account of the economic realities they face – including the time, labour and financial costs of implementation – and ensure that these do not outweigh the expected benefits.

Second, the diversity of farm sizes and structures must be embraced as a central axis of policy design. Smallholder farmers, who often operate under resource constraints and on marginal lands, need targeted support to sustainably intensify production. Closing yield gaps without further degrading land calls for access to appropriate technologies and extension services, secure tenure, and inclusive financing mechanisms. In places where accumulated land degradation is not the primary constraint, strengthening enabling environments will be key to breaking path dependencies that have led to unsustainable intensification.

At the other end of the spectrum, large-scale commercial farms – though fewer in number – manage most of the world's agricultural land and have a disproportionate impact on land systems. These farms must play a leading role in achieving land degradation neutrality by complying with environmental regulations, adopting sustainable land management practices, and participating in incentive schemes that reward ecosystem stewardship.

Third, the restoration of degraded land must be differentiated. Severely degraded areas may require transformative approaches, including land-use change or long-term fallowing, while land in agricultural production can benefit from improved management practices that enhance productivity and resilience. This calls for a nuanced policy mix that combines regulatory frameworks with incentive-based mechanisms, underpinned by robust monitoring systems and adaptive governance. Tailoring interventions to the specific needs, capacities and responsibilities of different land users is essential for equitable and effective progress.

Fourth, land governance must be strengthened. Well-defined tenure rights – both individual and collective – are non-negotiable for sustainable land use and livelihoods. Inclusive governance structures are also essential to manage trade-offs, which are often unavoidable in land systems. Win–win scenarios are rare; thus, enabling environments must support transparent decision-making and equitable outcomes.

Encouragingly, sustainable land management and land restoration efforts are already underway in many parts of the world, demonstrating that solutions exist and can be scaled. These efforts show that reversing degradation is possible when the right enabling conditions are in place. However, land degradation must still be addressed within the broader context of global sustainability goals. While land is foundational to national food security and development strategies, it is also central to the global challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Governments and international bodies are increasingly aligning efforts under the three United Nations Rio Conventions (UNCCD, UNFCCC, CBD), but progress is hindered by weak implementation, limited coordination and insecure tenure. Strengthening institutional coherence and political will is essential to translate global commitments into local action.

The way forward is clear: To avoid and reduce land degradation, and to reverse it where it has already occurred, we must invest in people, policies and practices that recognise the value of land, not only as a productive asset but as a foundation for human and planetary well-being. The time to act is now – before the costs of inaction become irreversible.

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