African Great Green Wall's Prospects in Northern Sahara

African region is one of the most vulnerable places on earth with inadequate food and health facilities and is greatly affected by diverse environmental threats. The Great Green Wall of Africa is one of the most ambitious environmental projects of our time stretching across the southern edge of the Sahara Desert.

This most critical project aims to change the life of the people in the region by combating deserted landscape, restore degraded land, and bring life back to the Sahel region where climate change, drought, and land degradation have taken a devastating toll.

By planting a huge wall of trees and vegetation, this project not only helps the environment but also provides food security, jobs, and hope for millions of people living in one of the world’s most challenging regions. More than just planting trees, it is a powerful symbol of resilience, food security, unity, and the determination to build a sustainable future for Africa and surrounding regions.

The Dynamics of African Climate

African climate has relatively extreme temperatures especially in central and northern Sahara desert areas. While the region does not have a range of industrial developmental zones, the impact of greenhouse gases is relatively lower so the adverse levels of variable climate in this region is due to the diverse topography, continent's vast size and geographical position.

The Northern inland Desert areas have dry and arid or semiarid deserted climate having relatively high temperatures. This deserted part observes a very low or no rainfall. The north-western region mainly Morocco and South-western region mainly Cape Town observe mostly Mediterranean climate.

The grassland and semi -arid areas, most commonly called Sahel region observing unpredicted rainfall is mostly affected by increased drought, low agricultural productivity, frequent shortage of food and water and diseases like malaria, AIDS and malnutrition.

The rainforest regions are equatorial areas in central Africa, with typically greener climate occupied with thriving ecosystem, substantial rainfalls, flooded dense forests, bamboo swamps, and rivers. This is the second largest rainforest in the world.

What is the Great Green Wall Project?

The Sahel region of Southern Africa experiences increased temperatures faster than global average increase in temperature mainly due to unpredictable and irregular rainfall and prolonged droughts.

The Great Green Wall Project of Africa is 8,000 kilometer long and 15 kilometer wide project, launched in 2007 by African Union covers 22 countries in the Sahel region. The project is primarily funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in partnership with the World Bank.

The project was aimed to combat desertification, restore 100 million hectares of degraded landscapes and address climate change. Additionally it has the potential of sequestering 250 million tons of CO2 emissions annually.

Other countries which are not part of the Pan African Agency like Algeria, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Libya, Egypt, The Gambia, Tunisia, Somalia, Côte d’Ivoire, South Sudan, Kenya and Uganda have also expressed an interest in joining the project.

The African Union (AU) in coordination and collaboration with United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has released a new implementation framework for the project that will run from 2024 to 2034 which aims to restore landscapes, enhance ecosystem and build resilient livelihoods in the region. To study the complete report, please click here.

Project Prospects in Northern Sahara Desert

The earth’s temperature has increased over time due to many factors. The semi-arid areas of Middle East and Northern Africa, most commonly called MENA region is the world’s most water scarce region in the world.

The average temperature here increases in the summers where the July 2023 heatwave brought temperatures of as high as 51 °C in Algeria and 49 °C in Tunisia. The expected projections for the climate change scenario indicate that nearly 600 million people in the region could be exposed to extreme heatwaves, resulting in air temperatures up to 56 °C and even higher in the second half of this century.

Although some African countries in northern Africa are not active members of the project, they are showing a willingness to participate in the program. These countries are mostly deserted and projects like this are not always easy in respect of getting fruitful results. The agriculturists suggest that plants that could survive in the extreme conditions of the desert are recommended for plantation in northern Sahara. Let us have a overview of these plants recommended for deserted climates.

Date Palm (Phoenix Dactylifera), certain varieties of Acacia (Acacia Senegal, Acacia Seyal) and the Jujube (Ziziphus Mauritiana) are recommended for plantation in this region.

Figure: Date Palm (Phoenix Dactylifera)

Acacia Seyal is multipurpose tree and can also tolerate extreme weathers. It is a major source of fuel and fodder in the countries at the southern edge of the Sahara, such as Mali, Chad, and Sudan.

Image: Acacia Seyal

Acacia Senegal, also called Gum Acacia is native to the Sudan region in Africa, yields true Gum Arabic, a substance used in adhesives, pharmaceuticals, inks, confections, and other products.

Image: Acacia Senegal

Ziziphus Mauritiana is also a multi-purpose tree mainly grown for its fruits. It starts bearing fruits 6-8 years after planting which is edible and can be eaten fresh, dried like dates, candied, salted or pickled. It is a good source of carotene, vitamins A and C, and fatty oils and can be processed into flour meal, paste, juice, syrup or an alcoholic beverages. The wood can also be used as firewood.

Image: Ziziphus Mauritian

The Laperrine's olive is a species of olive tree that grows in the Saharan mountain ranges of northern Africa specially Algeria and Sudan.

Image: The Laperrine's Olive

Tamarisks trees are a group of hardy shrubs and small trees which are drought and salt tolerant, commonly found in the Sahara Desert. They are well-known for their ability to thrive in saline environments. They are often used to combat desertification due to their ability to stabilize soil and reduce wind erosion. Tamarisks also provide habitat and food for various desert species, contributing to the overall biodiversity of the region.

Image: Tamarisks Trees

Desert Gourd has edible seeds, located inside the ripe melon like fruit. The fruit pulp has a quite bitter taste. The desert gourd is a drought resistant plant found throughout the Sahara. The plant produces small, hard fruits that are used in traditional herbal medicine and pharmaceuticals despite their bitter taste.

Image: Desert Gourd (Citrullus Colocynthis)

Succulent Euphorbia are also distinctive plants that thrive in the adverse conditions of the Sahara Desert. They are known for their unique appearance, with thick, fleshy stems that store water. In the desert ecosystem, Euphorbias play a vital role by providing a reliable source of moisture and nutrients for various animals. Their water-storing tissues make them particularly well-suited to survive long periods without rainfall.

Image: Succulent Euphorbia

Sahara Lovegrass (Eragrostis Tremula) is a hardy grass species that plays a critical role in preventing desertification. It typically grows in sandy soils that help stabilize the sand. The grass is naturally modified to the arid conditions of the Sahara, with an extensive root system that allows it to access moisture deep underground. It reduces erosion and provides a habitat for other plant species to establish themselves.

Image: Sahara Lovegrass (Eragrostis Tremula)

Conclusion

Unlike the Sahel region, the Northern Sahara desert has relatively intense climate. The experimental programs in Sahel region most specifically the Great Green Wall has made significant social, financial and environmental impact in the region. It has also helped in improving quality of life, restore landscapes and preserving ecosystem and bringing back migrants to their native land.

The new Great Green Wall Initiative Strategy and Ten-Year Implementation Framework (2024-2034) is a flagship initiative in the region, providing a tool to help restore our landscapes and build resilient livelihoods.

The future prospects of this project in Northern Sahara region is projected to introduce the type of plants and trees which are more drought resistant and capable of combating the extreme weathers of the North African region.

As a continent, all of the African communities need to work together to build effective and meaningful partnerships with the broader international community to restore the region back to natural life.