What is the Great Green Wall of Africa?

It’s a project to grow trees and plants as a barrier, over 7000 km long and 15 km wide.

It will cross 11 African countries from east to west, stretching from Senegal to Djibouti. 

This green belt skirts the Sahara desert, to stop the desert spreading southwards.

Every year, the desert gains ground and destroys 2 million hectares of savanna and forests.

Does that mean we’re building a wall to stop the Sahara desert? 

The ‘Great Green Wall’ is mainly a symbol, made of forests, gardens and fields.

In Senegal, where planting is well underway, the results are already very satisfactory.

They have planted hardy trees, such as acacia or date palms whose sap and leaves are also used to make medicines and cosmetics.