'By combating desertification in the area, the regions have begun to see increased rainfall as well as more resilient and fertile agricultural spaces.
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After decades of international aid programmes struggling to result in any meaningful change across the Sahel region, perhaps the success of the Great Green Wall can be used as a blueprint for future eco-development projects around the world.''Currently the Great Green Wall is about 15 per cent complete, but the success of the project has been far greater than initially expected. Degraded land is being restored at an unprecedented rate, which means increased food security for nearby communities.
Nigeria, Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Ethiopia have so far seen the most significant gains across the Sahel region. Over 17 million trees have been planted in Burkina Faso, equal to an area of about 31,000 acres. Nigeria has seen over 12 million acres of degraded land restored, while Senegal and Ethiopia have had similar levels of success.
By combating desertification in the area, the regions have begun to see increased rainfall as well as more resilient and fertile agricultural spaces.
But the ecological impact is not the only focus of this project, as the scheme also looks to empower and develop surrounding communities.
Who is the project helping?“The Great Green Wall is about development; it’s about sustainable, climate-smart development, at all levels,” explains Elvis Paul Tangam, the African Union Commissioner for the project.
“Each of the 30 countries developed national action plans, that is the biggest achievement, because now they own it. It’s about ownership, and that has been the failure of development aid, because people were never identified with it. But this time they identify. This is our thing.”
As communities across the Sahel region are employed to build and then maintain the wall, the project is intended to have long-lasting benefits for both people and planet. The population across the Sahel is projected to double by the year 2039 - meaning a project which tackles the area’s environmental issues, while also providing employment opportunities, is more vital now than ever.
“The Great Green Wall promises to be a real game-changer, providing a brighter future for rural youth in Africa and a chance to revitalise whole communities,” says the Monique Barbut from the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. “It can unite young people around a common, epic ambition: to ‘Grow a 21st Century World Wonder’, across borders and across Africa.”
After decades of international aid programmes struggling to result in any meaningful change across the Sahel region, perhaps the success of the Great Green Wall can be used as a blueprint for future eco-development projects around the world.'
- Marthe de Ferrer,
The Great Green Wall of Africa: Is this the next wonder of the world? August 1, 2020
Context '..to reforest the world’s 2 billion hectares of degraded land.'The Great Green Wall, growing a world wonderGreat Green WallCountries in Africa and Asia lead the way on climate action as Europe falls behind, July 23, 2020
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