This year, the focus will be on the forests in the dryland areas of the world, giving credence to the theme, 'Forests keep drylands working. This theme is in line with 2011 having being declared as International Year of the Forests by the United Nations.

Desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) are a big threat to human security, depriving people of the means to decent livelihoods by undercutting food production, access to water and the means to economic activity.

The department urged everyone to take part in looking after the land. "Healthy soils produce life and yet soil health depends a lot on how individuals use their land. What we do to our soils determines the quality and quantity of the food we eat and how our ecosystems serve us," it said.