The largest non-polar desert, the Sahara, covers 9,400,000 sq km in North Africa, and continues to grow and expand to the South, due to climate change, creeping above all in Senegal, Mauritania and Nigeria.

More than anywhere else on Earth, the Sahel is a front-line area for climate change and millions of people are already facing its devastating impact: persistent droughts, lack of food, conflicts due to fewer available natural resources and mass migration to Europe are some of the many consequences.

To stop the advance of desertification in 2002, an ambitious project was born, that is taking shape and life, it is the Great Green Wall; this project foresees the realization of a "green line" South of the Sahara 7,600 kilometers long and that crosses the whole African continent horizontally; 20 nations are involved to build the great green wall of Africa.

The project is financed by the World Bank, the African Union, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the British Royal Botanical Gardens, that have combined their funds, about $ 3 billion, in addition to the skills techniques.

Twenty African nations, led by Senegal, are building a wall of trees on the Southern edge of the Sahara Desert from Dakar, the capital of Senegal, on the Atlantic coast to Djibouti in the Gulf of Aden.

The Great Green Wall, once completed, will be 7,600 km long and 15 km wide and will be the largest horticultural work ever made in the world.

In addition to stopping the advance of the desert, the project also focuses on sustainable agriculture, livestock breeding and food security.

In Senegal, for example, a plantation of acacia trees of 50,000 acres has been realized, from these trees they extract the Arabic gum, a precious additive used in the food industry; several fruit trees have also been planted to help provide a source of food for the rural population of Senegal.

It is expected that the Great Green Wall will create many jobs for the local population, the land that will be made fertile will be able to produce quality cultivation.

"The Great Green Wall" is an extremely ambitious project, not only for Africa, but for the whole world, it is more than just an environmental initiative, it is a symbol of hope that humanity can reverse the effects of climate change. This is the description given by David Milsom, the creative strategist of Venturethree, the agency that dealt with the project communication.

Once completed, the Great Green Wall will be the largest living structure on Earth and a new Wonder of the World.

The Great Green Wall is transforming the lives of millions of people in the Sahel region, providing food, jobs and a future for the millions of people living in a region at the forefront of climate change; but it is not only a tool to save the Sahel but also a global symbol of hope for humanity.

Great Green Wall