The Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative
An African response to Desertification, Land Degradation, drought, Climate Change and loss of biodiversity
Presented at a Regional w/shop on best practices in the governance of dryland forests: Implications for Southern Africa, 22 – 23 October 2013, Johannesburg, South Africa
Almami Dampha, African Union Commission Presentation outline
• Context of the GGWSSI Initiative;
• Evolution of the GGWSSI Concept;
• Objectives of the GGWSSI (overall, specific and operational);
• Expected results from the GGWSSI;
• The AUC projects in support to the GGWSSI.
Where is the Wall?
Genesis of the Great Green Wall Initiative • In July 2005, President Olusegun Obasanjo of the Federal Republic of Nigeria proposed the establishment of the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and Sahel Initiative at the Fifth Ordinary Summit of the African Union (AU)
• In January 2007, the Heads of State of AU endorsed the decision and mandated the AUC to coordinate and facilitate its implement GGWSSI: A Pan Africa Project • High level endorsement by the African Heads of States and Governments in 2007
• Involves 20 countries from the Sahel‐Saharan region
• African partnership supported by the international community to:
• To mitigate and reverse the trends of land degradation (water, soil and vegetation); and • improve the resilience of local communities and their natural habitat to climate change.
Inspirations for GGWSSI
• DLDD + CC + Loss of BD = Food insecurity and Poverty in Dry zones of Africa.
• Climate forecasts for Africa: serious risks of expansion of arid zones in Africa undermining efforts to combat poverty on the Continent.
A Political Response
• Need for an African Partnership supported by the international community, in order to stop and reverse trends in land degradation and loss of biodiversity, especially in the arid regions of Africa through a coherent and common set of interventions
• This African Partnership to address the challenge of desertification is called the “ Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative »
Shifting the concept: from focus on tree planting to an integrated arid zone development approach
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The Great Green Wall is a metaphor to:
Sensitize development actors and especially policy makers on the specificities and the urgency in developing arid zones;
Amplify local environment management and sustainable development good practices ;
Implement a mosaic of integrated interventions related to multi‐sectoral issues affecting the lives of populations in Sahel‐Saharan zones in Africa;
Identify long‐term solutions to the pressing challenges of desertification/land degradation and drought.
Overall Objective
• To improve the resilience of human and natural systems in the Sahel‐Saharan zone to CC through a sound ecosystems’ management, sustainable development of land resources, protection of rural heritage and improvement of the living conditions and livelihoods of populations living in these areas.
Specific objectives
• Improve the living conditions of populations residing in the arid zones of Africa and reduce their vulnerability to climate change, climate variability and drought;
• Improve the state and health of ecosystems in the arid zones of Africa and their resilience to climate change, climate variability and drought;
• Mobilize resources for the implementation of the Great Green Wall Initiative through the establishment of efficient partnerships between national and international stakeholders.
Livelihood improvement
Trees and livestock
Multi‐purpose garden for women (Senegal) Women harvesting pepper in Nigeria Water retention during the dryseason (Senegal) The GGWSSI on the ground
• Coordination by the AUC and the PAGGW and efforts invested to develop synergies between the two institutions
• AUC is implementing two projects in support to 13 countries and African Institutions to develop Action Plans and projects portfolio for the implementation of the Initiative
The GGWSSI on the ground
• The first project is funded and executed by FAO through a TCP covering 5 countries: Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Mali and Niger => All 5 countries have now validated their Action Plans The GGWSSI on the ground
• The second project is co‐funded by the EU, GM‐UNCCD and executed by FAO and covers 8 countries: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Egypt, The Gambia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan ;
=> 4 countries out of 8 have already developed and validated their GGW Action plans with the effective support of the project. + Senegal, The Gambia, Nigeria , Burkina Faso and Algeria
=> A harmonized regional strategy validated by Experts and endorsed by AU Assembly.
Fenced area to allow regeneration GGWSSI on ground Cont’d
• In addition to these efforts of the AUC, other stakeholders are developing initiatives to support the GGWSSI, including the World Bank/GEF with its SAWAP covering 12 countries, CILSS, MDG Centre for WCA, AFF, etc..
Cross‐border or common interest projects • Niger‐ Nigeria by ECOWAS and CILSS (NRM)
• Niger‐Mali‐ Burkina Faso by CILSS and local authorities of the 3 countries (decentralized cooperation on restoration of degraded lands)
• Algeria‐Niger‐Mali‐Mauritania
• Egypt‐Sudan‐ Ethiopia by Egypt on Nile Basin (combating desertification and land degradation on the Nile fringes)
Challenges and way forward
• Coordination and Institutional governance of the Initiative;
• Alignment of the Partners on the priorities identified by the countries though their National Action Plan;
• Mainstreaming of the NAP in National policies framework (CAADP, CSIF‐TerrAfrica, NAP‐CCD, NAPA, etc.);
• Mobilization of financial resources, including internal resources.
Thank You
Merci