The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is collaborating with local villagers in Senegal to restore degraded landscapes and ecosystems in the Sahel region as part of the Great Green Wall initiative. This project aims to create a barrier of vegetation to prevent the Sahara Desert from expanding.
Restoration Efforts
- A team from the WFP has restored 300,000 hectares of land that had been considered barren wasteland for 40 years.
- Traditional techniques, such as digging half-moons in dry riverbeds, have been employed to capture rainfall and promote plant growth.
What are Half-Moons?
- Half-moons are shallow depressions dug into dry riverbeds or slopes.
- They collect rainwater and provide fertile soil for crops like sorghum and millet.
- Each half-moon is approximately four meters in diameter and takes one person about a day to dig by hand.
Impact on Farmers
Farmers like Amadou Ba Ndiaye have seen significant benefits from these restoration efforts. He states, "I now harvest three times more than before thanks partly due to better irrigation systems installed through aid projects." However, he still faces challenges, particularly with access roads that become impassable during heavy rains, leading to losses when he cannot reach his plots quickly enough.
Sustainable Water Management
The WFP’s approach also helps recharge groundwater resources without depleting them. As explained by Sebastian Muller, "This approach avoids depleting groundwater resources while allowing communities reliant on wells nearby to continue drinking safely without worrying about running out."
Indigenous Knowledge and Crop Selection
The use of indigenous knowledge has been crucial in identifying suitable crops for various locations within different zones affected by drought. This method emphasizes natural processes occurring throughout ecosystem cycles rather than relying heavily on fertilizers and pesticides that can pollute soil and waterways.
The Broader Initiative
Senegal’s Great Green Wall initiative is part of a larger effort across Africa’s Sahel region, where governments are collaborating under an African Union-led plan called "Greening The Barren Land." The ambitious goal is to restore over 100 million hectares (247 million acres) within just eight years.
Current Progress
- So far, only around 1% of the goal has been completed.
- There are signs of potential success if countries can meet their targets set out under this plan, which was launched at the COP27 climate summit held in Egypt.
Financial Commitment
In Senegal alone, approximately $3 billion (£2bn) will be spent over the next decade to restore degraded lands covering nearly two-thirds of its territory, according to government officials.
Urgency of Action
Experts warn that time is running out, as desertification can occur rapidly once it begins, often taking decades or even centuries to recover from initial damage. Dr. Aminata Traore, director general at the Senegalese Ministry of Environment & Sustainable Development, emphasizes the need for urgent action: "We need urgent action now before things get worse."
This initiative aims to protect millions of people living in areas severely affected by ongoing drought conditions across Western Africa, including countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, and many others.
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