Africa’s Great Green Wall: A Bold Vision Turning Desert into Hope, Livelihoods, and Climate Action
When we think of the Seven Wonders of the World, images of monumental walls and ancient structures often come to mind. Walls like the Great Wall of China, built to repel invaders and assert imperial power; the Berlin Wall, a symbol of division during the Cold War; or the Western Wall in Jerusalem, laden with religious and political meaning. Historically, walls have symbolized separation — dividing peoples, territories, and ideologies.
But Africa’s Great Green Wall is different. Stretching 8,000 kilometers across the Sahel, this “wall” is not a barrier but a bridge — one that connects communities and ecosystems in a collective effort to heal the land and provide new opportunities. Instead of dividing, it restores; instead of defending, it nurtures. This is a living, breathing wall of hope that fights desertification, combats climate change, and creates sustainable livelihoods.
What Is the Great Green Wall?
Launched by the African Union in 2007, the Great Green Wall is an ambitious pan-African initiative aimed at restoring degraded landscapes across the Sahel — a fragile band of land that borders the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, stretching from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east.
Restoring degraded landscapes means reversing land that has been severely damaged by factors such as desertification, soil erosion, deforestation, and unsustainable farming. This involves:
Rebuilding soil health through adding organic matter, planting cover crops, and reducing erosion.
Rehabilitating water systems to capture and retain rainwater, such as creating small dams and contour bunds to prevent runoff.
Reintroducing native trees and vegetation to stabilize the soil, increase shade, and promote biodiversity.
Integrating agroforestry practices where crops grow alongside trees, improving yields and resilience.
Combating desertification by halting the advance of the Sahara and restoring the productivity of once fertile land.
Its primary goals include:
Restoring 100 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.
Creating 10 million jobs for rural communities.
Sequestering 250 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually to help mitigate climate change.
Improving food security and empowering communities through sustainable land management.
The project goes far beyond planting trees. It combines agroforestry, soil restoration, water conservation, and economic development — all centered around the active participation and leadership of local communities.
Growing Momentum: Expanding Participation
Initially involving about 20 countries, the Great Green Wall now encompasses over 25 African nations. This growing coalition reflects the widespread recognition of the urgent need to combat desertification and support vulnerable populations.
Countries such as Ethiopia, Niger, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Djibouti have made remarkable progress, restoring millions of hectares and improving livelihoods. This collective action illustrates a powerful continental commitment to reversing land degradation and building resilience.
Transforming Lives: From Restoration to Livelihoods
The Great Green Wall is not just an environmental project — it’s a social and economic lifeline for millions:
Agroforestry integrates trees with crops and livestock, regenerating soils and diversifying incomes.
Women are central to the effort, engaging in nursery management, tree planting, and sustainable farming practices.
The initiative offers alternatives to migration by creating local employment opportunities and strengthening food security.
Restored lands yield fruits, nuts, wood, and other products that support vibrant local markets.
Environmental Benefits: A Shield Against Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss
The environmental impact of the Great Green Wall extends far beyond Africa, offering measurable and tangible benefits:
Since its inception, the project has helped restore over 15 million hectares of land, leading to the sequestration of approximately 30 million tonnes of CO2 annually — equivalent to removing about 6.5 million cars off the road each year.
When the project reaches its 2030 target of restoring 100 million hectares, it is projected to absorb 250 million tonnes of CO2 annually, roughly equal to taking 55 million cars off the road or offsetting the annual emissions of countries like Sweden.
The restoration reduces harmful dust storms that originate in the Sahel and travel as far as Europe, cutting down on air pollution and associated health risks.
Soil fertility improvements help reduce erosion and increase water retention, enhancing the land’s resilience to drought and supporting sustainable agriculture.
Biodiversity is rebounding, with species such as the African painted dog, giant eland, and Nile crocodile gradually returning to restored habitats. The revival of native trees like Acacia and Baobab also supports diverse bird and insect populations critical for ecosystem health.
Challenges Ahead: Turning Vision into Reality
While the Great Green Wall inspires hope, its progress is slowed by a series of interconnected and deeply rooted challenges:
Funding often fails to reach the ground. Despite billions pledged, money is frequently delayed, tied up in bureaucracy, or lost to corruption, leaving grassroots projects under-resourced.
Conflict and insecurity across the Sahel — particularly in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger — have disrupted restoration, forced communities to flee, and made key regions inaccessible.
Climate extremes such as prolonged droughts, heatwaves, and erratic rainfall make land harder to restore and sustain, sometimes reversing earlier gains.
Fragmented coordination between donors, governments, and NGOs has led to inconsistent progress, duplication of efforts, and a lack of unified strategy.
Poor monitoring and weak accountability make it difficult to track how much land has been effectively restored, how communities are benefiting, or what needs to improve.
Limited community inclusion has hampered long-term success. In areas where local people aren’t consulted or empowered, restoration efforts often struggle or fail.
Lack of technical and institutional capacity across some regions limits the ability to implement, scale, and maintain projects.
Migration pressures remain high. The Wall aims to reduce forced migration by restoring livelihoods and creating local opportunities. But where progress has stalled, poverty, conflict, and climate stress continue to push people to leave their land behind in search of stability elsewhere.
For the Great Green Wall to fulfil its potential — not just as a climate solution, but as a stabilizing force for communities — it must be built on trust, transparency, local leadership, and peace. Only then can it help create the conditions for people to thrive where they are, rather than feel forced to migrate.
Governance: A Pan-African Collaboration
The Great Green Wall Initiative is governed by the African Union Commission (AUC), which coordinates efforts through the Great Green Wall Agency (GGWA) established in 2019 to accelerate implementation. The GGWA works closely with member states, regional organizations, international donors, NGOs, and local communities.
Key governance features include:
Multilevel coordination involving governments, civil society, and local stakeholders.
Emphasis on country ownership and leadership, ensuring projects meet local needs.
Integration with broader sustainable development goals and climate frameworks.
Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track progress and adapt strategies.
This collaborative governance model highlights the importance of regional cooperation, local empowerment, and accountability — a blueprint for tackling other large-scale environmental challenges globally.
Lessons for the World
The Great Green Wall teaches us invaluable lessons about the power of:
Collective action: Uniting multiple countries around a shared environmental and social vision.
Community empowerment: Prioritizing local voices and knowledge for sustainable, lasting impact.
Holistic solutions: Combining ecological restoration with economic and social development.
Resilience: Adapting to complex challenges like climate change and conflict with flexible, inclusive approaches.
As the GGW grows, it stands as a testament to what is possible when humanity works in harmony with nature, offering hope and inspiration worldwide.
A New Natural Wonder: Africa Leading the Way
More than a restoration project, the Great Green Wall symbolizes Africa’s agency and resilience. By reclaiming degraded lands and revitalizing communities, African nations are setting new standards for restoration and sustainable development.
This living wall has the potential to become a new natural wonder — a vibrant, green testament to human ingenuity and the power of unity. It embodies hope for millions and a vision of a future where people and nature thrive together, on their own terms.