When is Desertification and Drought Day?
Desertification and Drought Day 2027 is on Thursday
Thursday, June 17, 2027
June 17 every year. That's in 243 days.
until Desertification and Drought Day begins, in your time zone
Desertification and Drought Day, formally the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, is a UN day about land: how farmland, grazing land and drylands degrade, and how restoring them protects food, water and livelihoods.
About Desertification and Drought Day
The day draws attention to land degradation, the slow loss of soil health and productivity caused by overuse, poor farming and grazing practices, deforestation and a changing climate. In dry regions this can end in desertification, where once-productive land can no longer support crops, livestock or the people who depend on them, and droughts make the damage worse. The UN uses the day to promote sustainable land and water management and the restoration of degraded land.
The UN General Assembly created the observance in December 1994 through resolution A/RES/49/115. It chose June 17 because the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was adopted on that date in 1994. The convention is the only legally binding international agreement focused on desertification and the effects of drought, and today it has 197 parties, including the European Union. Its secretariat leads the day each year with a theme and a host country. The UN's full title is the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, but its recent campaigns use the shorter name Desertification and Drought Day.
The 2026 observance, hosted by Kenya, focused on rangelands under the theme "Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore." It matched the UN's International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. The UN notes that rangelands cover more than half of the Earth's land surface and support around two billion people, and that up to half of them are degraded or at risk.
Sources: United Nations: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, United Nations: Desertification Day background (archived 2019), UNCCD: Convention overview. How we check dates.
How to mark Desertification and Drought Day
- Learn where your food is grown and which of those regions face drought or soil loss.
- Cut water waste at home: fix leaks, water gardens early or late in the day and choose drought-tolerant plants.
- Add compost or mulch to a garden bed to help the soil hold water.
- Support a tree-planting or land-restoration project run by a local conservation group.
- Read about the pastoralist and farming communities featured in this year's UNCCD campaign.
- Cut down on food waste, since every wasted meal also wastes the land and water used to grow it.
Desertification and Drought Day dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Tuesday, June 17, 2025 |
| 2026 | Wednesday, June 17, 2026 |
| 2027 | Thursday, June 17, 2027 |
| 2028 | Saturday, June 17, 2028 |
| 2029 | Sunday, June 17, 2029 |
| 2030 | Monday, June 17, 2030 |
| 2031 | Tuesday, June 17, 2031 |
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Frequently asked questions
When is Desertification and Drought Day 2027?
Desertification and Drought Day 2027 is on Thursday, June 17, 2027. It falls on June 17 every year. In 2028, it is on Saturday, June 17, 2028.
What is desertification?
Desertification is the degradation of land in dry areas until it loses much of its ability to support plants, crops and livestock. It is driven by human activity and climate, and it does not mean deserts simply spreading on their own.
Why is the day held on June 17?
The UN Convention to Combat Desertification was adopted on June 17, 1994. The General Assembly picked that anniversary when it created the day later that year.
Is Desertification and Drought Day a public holiday?
No. Desertification and Drought Day is an observance, not a public holiday, so schools, banks, government offices and most businesses keep their normal hours.