As Saudi capital Riyadh gets ready to host the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Dr Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, has praised India’s efforts on combating land degradation and drought. 

Dr Faqeeha, who is also an advisor to the UNCCD COP16 Presidency, in an email interview, mentioned the “success stories” from Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. “For instance, in Rajasthan’s Lapodia village, the revival of traditional water harvesting systems has not only raised water tables but also regenerated degraded grasslands, inspiring over 50 neighbouring villages to adopt similar practices,” he said.

Lapodia village today stands out like a green oasis in Rajasthan. This village, with a little over 300 households is just two hours from state capital Jaipur, transformed itself into a drought-proof village mostly through the revival of traditional water-harvesting structures.

Highlighting another Indian success story, Dr Faqeeha spoke about “the remarkable transformation achieved by Renuka Bio Farms in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati district”. “It shows how combining traditional wisdom with modern techniques can convert barren wetland into thriving agro-ecological systems”.

 “These stories demonstrate the transformative power of local initiatives in combating land degradation. These initiatives exemplify exactly what we hope to showcase and amplify at COP16 in Riyadh – practical, community-driven solutions that can be adapted and replicated globally,” he said.

Highlighting similarities between Saudi and Indian desert region of Rajasthan, the Saudi minister emphasised  on creating natural opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange. 

“The arid climate challenges we face in Saudi Arabia share many similarities with regions like Rajasthan. In Saudi Arabia we are focusing on utilizing renewable water resources, leveraging water conservation practices, and pursuing ambitious rural development programmes.”

“Successful initiatives like the Ghandivan project in Jaipur, which has transformed barren wasteland into a thriving ecosystem through community-driven efforts, offer valuable insights that can be adapted across different regions.”

He added that Riyadh will create platforms for sharing such experiences and best practices to benefit countries, regions, and the planet at COP16.

Speaking on the Saudi’s primary goals for the presidency of COP16, Dr Faqeeha stated that the focused is on raising awareness of the impact of land degradation, drought, and desertification. “The scale of our challenge is stark: globally, we lose land equivalent to four football fields every second, amounting to 100 million hectares annually.”

“COP16 in Riyadh represents a crucial turning point in our global response to land degradation and drought. By bringing together stakeholders from across sectors and generations, we will catalyse a new era of environmental action characterised by concrete commitments, innovative solutions, and meaningful collaboration.”

The Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will take place in Riyadh from 2 to 13 December 2024.