This document contains the text of a speech given at a conference on beating famine in Lilongwe, Malawi. It discusses the challenges of land degradation and increasing population pressures on natural resources by 2050 if practices do not change. 2/3 of sub-Saharan Africa's arable land is already degraded, costing $68 billion annually. To meet growing food demands, an additional 4 million hectares would need to be converted to agriculture each year. However, 12 million hectares are lost annually to degradation. The speaker argues for land degradation neutrality and rehabilitating 2 billion hectares of degraded land through sustainable practices to boost food security and resilience. Building smallholder capacity is key to overcoming challenges and beating famine