How Africa is Transforming the Sahara Desert into Fertile Land

The Sahara Desert is known as the largest hot desert on our planet Earth.
However, it hasn't always been this way throughout history.
Approximately 6,000 years ago, this region experienced frequent rainfall and had a humid climate.
During the era known as the "Green Sahara," northern Africa was strikingly different from the dry and barren landscape we see today.
But around 5,500 years ago, a significant climate shift occurred, transforming the once lush and verdant area into a hot, inhospitable desert.
Since then, the relentless Sahara has continued to expand, with about 10 kilometers of land becoming desertified every year.
Can we possibly overcome the scorching sun, extreme heat, and vast sands of this desert kingdom?
Today, I'm going to talk about a grand project aimed at stopping the spread of the Sahara Desert.
Is it possible for humanity to succeed in this ambitious plan?
The Great Green Wall
The idea of halting the Sahara Desert's advance originated in the 1950s when a British biologist, Richard St. Barbe Baker, embarked on a research expedition across North Africa.
After traveling 40,000 kilometers and crossing 24 countries, he realized something had to be done about the degraded land in this region.
Thus, the concept of the "Green Front" was born, envisioning the afforestation of a 50-kilometer-wide strip of land to rejuvenate the Sahel region.
This concept remained unfulfilled for a long time.
However, at the beginning of the 21st century, regional political leaders endorsed the idea of constructing-or more accurately, nurturing-the "Great Green Wall."
They planned to plant trees in a 15-kilometer-wide, 7,775-kilometer-long strip of land, intended to stretch across the entire continent of Africa from Djibouti to Senegal.
The project officially began in 2007.
lgeria's Green Dam
Planting trees across an area of one hundred million hectares might seem like an overwhelming task.
However, the "Great Green Wall" has a successful precedent to look to.
When the "Green Dam of Algeria" was first proposed in the 1960s, it seemed like a pipe dream.
At that time, Algeria faced the same problem.
The Sahara Desert was expanding into northern Africa, causing a rapid decline in arable land.
Over several decades, Algeria constructed a 20-kilometer-wide green belt stretching 1,500 kilometers from west to east.
They planted drought-resistant Aleppo pines across three million hectares of land, and esparto grass covered the forest floor.
Trees of the Great Green Wall
The success of Algeria's project has been closely studied in regions south of the Sahara Desert, with careful consideration given to the choice of plants.
But what should be planted in such nutrient-poor and barren land where nothing seems to grow?
The selection of tree species is incredibly important.
This choice determines the long-term sustainability of the "Great Green Wall."
For example, in Senegal, they decided to plant Balanites aegyptiaca, known as the desert date tree.
This tree is well-suited to arid climates and can survive for over a hundred years in such conditions.
It can go nearly two years with minimal water and still bear fruit even during droughts.
While flooding might seem unlikely in this part of Africa, this tree is also resilient to water damage and fires, making it ideal for regions with intense sunlight and extreme heat.
Nurseries
When it comes to planting vegetation in impoverished and arid lands, one cannot simply shove seeds into the soil and expect them to grow.
Doing so would almost certainly result in no sprouts emerging at all.
Therefore, nurseries have been established in North African countries where seedlings are cultivated specifically for the "Great Green Wall."
For instance, Senegal, a leading country in this project, has nine nurseries, which have collectively planted 12 million trees over the past decade.
The men who plant these trees are permitted to harvest and sell the initial crops, making the "Great Green Wall" a means to combat both desertification and poverty.
There are also plantations managed by women, employing approximately 1,500 individuals.
These plantations are built on restored lands and play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity within the ecosystem.
Not Just Trees
If you look at a map of West Africa at the border between Mauritania and Senegal, you will notice a stark difference in the appearance of the land.
The border is marked by the Senegal River, providing ample water for agricultural use in its vicinity.
North of the border, however, lies nothing but desert, with scarcely any rainfall.
It's no surprise that the route of the former "Paris-Dakar Rally" ran through this area.
During the race, drivers often got stuck in unstable sand or lost their way between dunes, illustrating the harsh conditions.
What might be favorable for a thrilling race, however, is unfavorable for plant life.
The initial segment of the "Great Green Wall" runs along the Senegal River.

[@user-nq1fk3db3i]

This is totally awesome right there even though the desert can change from one year to the next 😊

[@debratakagawa4764]

The crescent shapes catch any rain water that runs across the land. The land may not initially get more rain but if the water stays in the soil longer more plants can grow.