An 8 thousand kilometer long Great Green Wall is being built in Africa.
After the Great Wall of China, now Africa is preparing to make a record. An 8 thousand kilometer long Great Green Wall is being built in Africa. The initiative spans nearly 8,000 kilometers across the Sahel, the vast semi-arid region adjacent to the Sahara Desert. The aim of this project is not only to increase greenery by planting trees but also to make barren land fertile. Its goal is also to create employment for millions of people and prepare to fight climate change.
The African Union launched the Great Green Wall in 2007 to address challenges in the Sahel region. The project involves planting a strip of plants 8,000 kilometers long and approximately 15 kilometers wide. However, later experts realized that instead of preparing it in a straight line, it was necessary to make it denser and better. Compared with China, the total length of the Great Wall of China is 21,196 kilometers, whereas the current target of the Great Green Wall in Africa is 8 thousand kilometers.
Why is the Great Green Wall important for Africa??
The Great Green Wall is important in many ways. The Sahel region of Africa is in the southern part of the Sahara desert. The temperature here increases 1.5 times faster than the global average temperature. Due to increase in temperature there was a severe drought here. The fertility of the soil was destroyed. Due to barren land, production stopped.
Taking lessons from these reasons, the concept of Great Green Wall was brought and work started on it. The tree-lined area is helping to cool the local climate. It has been claimed that it is affecting the soil. Now farmers will once again be able to grow crops with confidence. In this way, this project will prove beneficial for both nature and humans.
How is the Great Green Wall being built?
Even if you think that it is a row of trees growing in a straight line, it is not so. The initial plan was to plant a wall of trees in the Sahel region from Dakar in Senegal to the capital of Djibouti, whose width was 15 km and length was 7,775 km, but it was later changed. Now the route has been made curved and not straight.
According to the conditions of the area, work is being done there. For example, native plants are being planted in some parts. By taking care of the plants growing naturally in some parts, they are giving them a better environment. At some places grasslands are being revived. The quality of soil is being improved at some places. Plans have been made to store rain water and at some places sustainable agricultural practices have been adopted. By adopting these methods, it has been kept in mind that whatever efforts are being made should be climate friendly.
Part of 11 countries
The Great Green Wall will be a part of 11 countries. These include Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan. They are engaged in fighting land degradation and restoring original vegetation in different ways. Every country is working at different places in its own way.
There is an effort to reduce the impact of climate change through the Great Green Wall Project. Photo: Unsplash
Now what is the next goal?
It has been claimed in media reports that the reports so far have been positive. Its target has been set for 2030. All participating countries plan to absorb 250 million tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. His intention is also to create 1 lakh employment opportunities in rural areas, so that the youth also get financial help.
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