By Czarina Nicole Ong Ki
Filipinos need to be more mindful of their purchases so as to prevent drought and desertification.
(CHR / MANILA BULLETIN)
This is the message of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) as the Philippines joined the observance of Desertification and Drought Day on June 17 with the slogan, "Food. Feed. Fiber."
As the country's population continues to grow, the CHR said that there is greater demand for fertile land to provide food, feed for livestock, and fiber for clothing.
The goal of this year's observance is to ensure a sustainable future with fertile lands, so more and more individuals are being educated on how to reduce their personal impact through the adoption of more efficient land planning and sustainable practices.
"In our own way, we can prevent continued degradation of land by being wise consumers that only buy and invest in products that are proven to be eco-friendly and made through sustainable practices," the Commission tweeted.
If every Filipino were to buy products that do not contribute to the degradation of land, the CHR said more suppliers will cut back on the production of harmful products.
This, in turn, will send a powerful message to companies that consumers are caring more for the environment and are being more mindful about their purchases.
Drought or lack of precipitation for a protracted period of time is brought about by changing weather patterns. This is further aggravated by human activities that include deforestation, overgrazing, and poor irrigation practices.
Desertification is a type of degradation of land or a reduction in biological productivity that renders dry land sterile or infertile. The CHR warned that developing nations are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including desertification and drought.
The CHR shared that based on recent studies, 27.3 percent of the country is vulnerable to drought, alternating yearly with floods and typhoons leading to land degradation and declining land productivity.