Africa’s Great Green Wall: A Project Changing the Landscape—But How Effectively?

What Is the Great Green Wall and Why It Matters

In the heart of Africa’s Sahel region—a vast semi-arid belt stretching from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east—an ambitious, transformative project is underway: the Great Green Wall. This African-led initiative aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land by planting a mosaic of trees, shrubs, and vegetation that can thrive in arid environments. The vision is grand: an 8,000-kilometer-long living barrier that stretches across the continent, combating desertification, fostering food security, creating millions of green jobs, and helping communities adapt to the increasing impacts of climate change.

But this is no ordinary environmental project. The Great Green Wall is about more than just planting trees—it’s about regenerating entire ecosystems and empowering the people who depend on them. It’s a response to some of the most urgent challenges facing humanity: climate migration, resource-based conflict, extreme poverty, and biodiversity collapse.

By 2030, the initiative hopes to sequester 250 million tons of carbon, generate 10 million jobs, and improve the livelihoods of tens of millions of people. At its core, the Great Green Wall represents a bold reimagining of Africa’s environmental and economic future—a continental effort that has global significance in the fight against climate change.

How Is the Project Really Doing? A Candid Progress Check (2025 Update)

Despite its inspiring vision and global support, the Great Green Wall has faced numerous challenges since its inception in 2007. As of early 2025, estimates suggest that only around 20% of the project’s target has been achieved. This figure includes areas where land has been restored or is currently under restoration. While this progress is commendable given the scale and complexity of the initiative, it falls significantly short of the original goals set for 2030.

One of the major hurdles has been funding. Although international donors and development organizations have pledged billions, the actual disbursement of funds has been inconsistent and often delayed. Moreover, there are disparities between countries—some, like Senegal and Ethiopia, have made substantial headway, while others lag behind due to political instability, conflict, or lack of infrastructure.

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Another obstacle lies in monitoring and data collection. The vast geographical scope of the wall makes it difficult to track progress accurately. Various countries use different metrics and tools, which leads to inconsistent reporting. Additionally, the challenges of extreme weather events—like prolonged droughts and flash floods—further complicate efforts, threatening newly restored areas and reducing survival rates of planted vegetation.

Still, the project remains active and adaptive. Countries are beginning to shift from merely planting trees to restoring ecosystems more holistically, incorporating sustainable agriculture and community-led land management practices. While the dream of a fully connected wall of green may not be realized exactly as envisioned, the broader impact on land restoration, food production, and resilience continues to grow.

Strategies Used to Build the Green Wall

Creating the Great Green Wall requires more than just mass tree planting—it demands a diverse, adaptive set of land restoration strategies tailored to the unique environmental and cultural conditions across the Sahel. Over the years, the initiative has evolved into a holistic landscape restoration movement, blending traditional knowledge with modern science.

Here are some of the key strategies used:

• Tree Planting with Native Species: Planting drought-resistant and native trees helps restore ecological balance while supporting biodiversity. These species are more likely to thrive in harsh conditions and require less maintenance.

• Agroforestry Systems: By integrating trees with crops and livestock, farmers can enhance soil fertility, boost yields, and create microclimates that protect against extreme weather.

• Soil Restoration Techniques: Practices like mulching, composting, and using organic matter help revive degraded soils and increase their water retention capabilities.

• Rainwater Harvesting and Water Conservation: Systems such as check dams, earth bunds, and stone lines slow down water runoff, allowing it to soak into the ground and nourish vegetation.

• Pasture Rehabilitation: Controlled grazing, rotational systems, and reseeding help regenerate grasslands that have been overused or depleted.

• Community-Driven Reforestation: Local people play a central role, from planning to implementation, ensuring the solutions are practical, accepted, and long-lasting.

This multifaceted approach is essential in such a vast and ecologically varied region. Rather than a one-size-fits-all method, the Green Wall adapts to what works best in each country, village, and plot of land.

Spotlight: Innovative Technique – The “Zai Pits” Method

Among the many techniques being used in the Great Green Wall initiative, one stands out for its simplicity, affordability, and powerful impact: the “Zai pits” method. Originally developed by farmers in Burkina Faso, this traditional West African technique is now experiencing a resurgence as part of the region’s climate adaptation strategies.

So how does it work? Farmers dig small pits—usually about 20 to 30 centimeters deep—across barren land before the rainy season begins. These pits are then filled with organic material such as compost, manure, or crop residues. When it rains, water is trapped in the pits rather than running off the hard, dry soil. The organic matter enhances the soil’s fertility, creating micro-environments where crops and trees can grow even in otherwise degraded areas.

The results are remarkable. Studies have shown that using zai pits can increase crop yields by up to 500%, especially in regions that face chronic drought and soil erosion. Millet, sorghum, and trees like acacia and baobab have all thrived under this method. In many cases, previously abandoned farmland has been brought back into production.

But perhaps the most compelling aspect of zai pits is their accessibility. Unlike high-tech solutions that require outside expertise or infrastructure, zai pits rely on local knowledge, basic tools, and community labor. They empower farmers to reclaim control over their land and build resilience with minimal resources.

This low-cost, high-impact technique exemplifies the spirit of the Great Green Wall—where indigenous wisdom meets environmental necessity—and it holds enormous potential for scaling across the Sahel and other arid regions.

Community Impact: Real Lives, Real Changes

Beyond environmental benefits, the Great Green Wall has had a profound social and economic impact on the lives of millions living along its path. In regions often defined by hardship, instability, and environmental degradation, the initiative is planting more than trees—it’s sowing the seeds of opportunity, dignity, and hope.

Food Security and Nutrition: Restored lands mean more fertile soil and increased agricultural productivity. Farmers who once struggled to grow anything in depleted soil are now harvesting sorghum, millet, and vegetables, reducing hunger and improving household nutrition.

Job Creation: The restoration activities have created tens of thousands of jobs in tree planting, land management, and sustainable agriculture. In many areas, the initiative has become a major source of employment, especially for youth who might otherwise migrate to cities or even abroad in search of work.

Empowerment of Women: Women are playing an increasingly active role in the project—leading tree nurseries, managing restoration teams, and selling agricultural products in local markets. These opportunities not only increase income but also enhance gender equality and community resilience.

Youth Engagement and Education: With new sources of livelihood and community engagement, young people are gaining skills in environmental stewardship. Educational programs tied to the initiative help raise awareness about sustainability and create a generation committed to caring for the land.

Migration Reduction: By making rural life more viable, the Great Green Wall is helping to curb forced migration. When people see tangible improvements in their land and livelihoods, they are more likely to stay, invest in their communities, and envision a future where they live.

These stories of change are central to the success of the Great Green Wall. They show that when ecological restoration is done right, it doesn’t just heal the land—it transforms lives.

What’s Holding It Back?

As inspiring as the Great Green Wall is, its path forward is far from smooth. Numerous systemic and environmental challenges threaten to delay or derail its progress. Understanding these barriers is crucial—not to diminish the project’s impact, but to recognize what must be addressed for its full potential to be realized.

Climate Stress and Environmental Volatility: Ironically, one of the biggest obstacles to a climate-resilience project is climate change itself. The Sahel region continues to suffer from prolonged droughts, rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and flash floods. These conditions make it extremely difficult for young vegetation to survive and can quickly undo restoration gains.

Political Instability and Conflict: Many countries along the Great Green Wall’s path—such as Mali, Chad, and parts of Nigeria—face ongoing conflicts or political unrest. In such contexts, long-term environmental projects often take a backseat to more immediate concerns. Insecure regions are harder to access, monitor, and support, leading to gaps in implementation.

Funding Gaps and Financial Mismanagement: Despite billions pledged by global donors, the funds have not always translated into action on the ground. Bureaucratic delays, a lack of transparency, and weak financial oversight have hindered effective deployment. Local leaders often struggle to access or allocate funding where it’s most needed.

Fragmented Implementation: The Great Green Wall is a transnational initiative, but execution varies significantly from one country to another. Without unified standards or coordination mechanisms, restoration efforts can be inconsistent, with some regions flourishing and others stagnating.

Community Engagement Barriers: Although local participation is crucial, it is not always guaranteed. In some areas, people remain unaware of the project or skeptical of its benefits. Without proper outreach, training, and inclusion, projects can falter due to lack of ownership or community buy-in.

These obstacles don’t spell failure—they highlight the complexity of large-scale ecological restoration in politically and environmentally fragile contexts. Addressing these issues openly and systematically is essential to ensuring that the Great Green Wall can grow stronger, not just longer.

A Global Call to Action

The Great Green Wall may be rooted in Africa, but its lessons, impacts, and urgency stretch far beyond the Sahel. As climate change continues to redefine global priorities, this bold initiative serves as a test case for what large-scale, inclusive environmental restoration can look like.

A Model for Other Regions: From India’s drylands to China’s Loess Plateau, countries facing desertification can draw inspiration from the Great Green Wall. The approach—community-led, ecologically adaptive, and socioeconomically inclusive—offers a blueprint for resilience in the face of climate stress.

A Catalyst for International Cooperation: The Wall has brought together African governments, international institutions like the African Union, the UNCCD, World Bank, and regional organizations. Their collaboration shows that environmental challenges require unified, cross-border responses—and that such unity is possible, even in politically complex environments.

A Chance for Individuals to Contribute: Whether you’re a policy-maker, a donor, a student, or simply a concerned global citizen, there are ways to engage. Raising awareness, supporting sustainable products, funding restoration programs, or amplifying the voices of those on the frontlines—every action counts.

More Than a Wall—A Movement: Ultimately, the Great Green Wall is not just about replanting landscapes. It’s about restoring hope. It’s about transforming environmental despair into regeneration, empowering communities, and rethinking our relationship with nature.

If this initiative succeeds, it will be one of the most profound environmental transformations in human history. If it fails, the consequences will ripple across continents. Which future we see depends not only on Africa—but on all of us.

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. It can unite young people around a common, epic ambition: to ‘Grow a 21st Century World Wonder’, across borders and across Africa.

– Monique Barbut, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD

Conclusion

The Great Green Wall is one of the most ambitious and inspiring environmental initiatives in the world today. It aims to do far more than plant trees—it’s about restoring ecosystems, rebuilding livelihoods, and reversing decades of land degradation across the African Sahel. While progress has been slower than anticipated and challenges are many, the impact is real and growing.

This project reminds us that solutions to the climate crisis are already in motion—and that they can be rooted in tradition, community, and resilience. Whether through zai pits in Burkina Faso or tree nurseries led by women in Senegal, the Great Green Wall is showing what’s possible when vision meets local action.

In a time when environmental despair is easy to come by, the Wall stands as a testament to human potential: imperfect, but powerful. It’s a story more people need to hear—and one that each of us can help write.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the Great Green Wall?
A: It is a pan-African initiative aiming to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land across the Sahel region by 2030. The goal is to combat desertification, improve food security, create jobs, and help communities adapt to climate change.

Q: How long is the Great Green Wall?
A: The Wall is envisioned to stretch approximately 8,000 kilometers across the continent, from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east.

Q: How much of the project is complete?
A: As of 2025, around 20% of the targeted land has been restored or is under active restoration, with progress varying widely by country.

Q: What techniques are used to build the Wall?
A: Strategies include planting native drought-resistant trees, agroforestry, soil restoration, rainwater harvesting, pasture rehabilitation, and innovative methods like zai pits.

Q: Who is involved in the project?
A: The initiative is led by African countries and supported by local communities, the African Union, international donors, and organizations like the UNCCD and World Bank.

Q: Can individuals support the Great Green Wall?
A: Yes. People can support by raising awareness, donating to restoration efforts, promoting sustainable practices, or learning from the project’s model of resilience and regeneration.

Source List

1. The Great Green Wall Official Website
2. UNCCD – Great Green Wall Initiative
3. Echoes of the Great Green Wall: Science, Technology and Innovations
4. The Great Green Wall: An Overview and Lessons Learnt (DIIS)
5. JRC Publications Repository – Monitoring Project Impact
6. The Great Green Wall in the Sahel – Oxford Research Encyclopedias
7. European Commission – Growing the Great Green Wall
8. Institute of Development Studies – The Great Green Wall as a Social-Technical Imaginary
9. Regreening Africa – Great Green Wall Perspective
10. National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) – Nigeria

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Acknowledgment of AI

Content developed using AI technology, with final review and refinement by our human editors to ensure clarity, coherence, and accuracy.