The Drought Nexus: How Food Security, Conflicts, Land and Water Are Interlinked
Publisher: UN Convention to Combat Desertification
Date: 2026
Topics: Conflict Causes, Governance, Land, Renewable Resources
Drought is no longer a single-sector crisis. This policy brief introduces the drought nexus, showing how water scarcity, land degradation, food insecurity, energy disruption, migration, health risks and conflict can reinforce one another across borders. Drawing on cases from Mongolia, the Sahel, the Mediterranean and global transport and energy systems, it calls for coordinated governance, aligned finance and integrated land–water management. The brief sets out recommendations for embedding drought resilience in national plans, strengthening cross-sector institutions, expanding early warning systems and scaling land restoration. Its message is clear: proactive, whole-of-society action can turn drought from recurring catastrophe into manageable risk.