Creating a 7,000 km Forest Belt in Africa

It is well known that issues related to deforestation and desertification are becoming increasingly urgent. We must all recognize the importance of addressing these challenges if we wish to preserve our planet for future generations. While many concerned individuals take personal initiatives to contribute to reforestation, this section focuses on an international effort known as the Great Green Wall.

Since 2007, African nations have been implementing a project to green over 1 million km² of desert land, with a total budget of $33 billion. The Sahara, the world’s largest desert, covers 30% of Africa and has been expanding since the 19th century, shifting its southern boundary by 6–10 km per year. Throughout the 20th century, it gradually encroached on the Sahel, a tropical savanna spanning 3 million km², which separates the desert from the jungles.

Since 1914, the Sahel has experienced regular droughts leading to famines, with the most severe crises occurring in the 1960s. Over the past 50 years, the area of land unsuitable for agriculture has increased by 10%, despite technological advancements. Today, 300 million Africans living in the savanna belt are at risk of food shortages. If desertification is not halted, by 2050, nearly 800 million people may lose their sources of sustenance, potentially triggering a large-scale migration crisis

At present, 21 African nations are fighting soil degradation and desertification. Central Africa, one of the least developed regions, struggles with inefficient agricultural practices: the lack of proper soil fertility conservation technologies, combined with excessive land exploitation, accelerates degradation. Unregulated livestock grazing destroys vegetation, while deforestation for mining, quarrying, and urban expansion further worsens the situation.

Trees play a vital role in preventing wind erosion, increasing humidity, and retaining water in the soil, while their leaves act as natural fertilizers. In a hot climate with dry winds, the absence of forests negatively impacts Africa’s ecosystem.

The Great Green Wall project aims to establish a 15-km-wide, 7,775-km-long forest belt across the Sahel, planting 37 species of native drought-resistant plants. The initiative is backed by numerous organizations, with over $33 billion in funding, and involves 21 countries. By 2030, the project is expected to create 10 million jobs.

Key Issues Addressed by the Great Green Wall Project

1. Soil Degradation
     Restoring soil health and fertility, which enhances agricultural productivity.
   
   
2. Desertification
     Halting the expansion of deserts by creating a protective forest belt that helps retain moisture and prevents erosion.
   
   
3. Loss of Biodiversity
     Establishing new ecosystems and restoring existing habitats, contributing to the preservation of flora and fauna diversity.
   
   
4. Climate Change
     Reducing carbon emissions by increasing the number of trees that absorb carbon dioxide.
   
   
5. Economic Instability
     Creating new jobs in forestry, agriculture, and ecotourism, fostering the economic development of local communities.
   
   
6. Population Migration
     Mitigating migration caused by environmental factors by improving living conditions in affected areas.
   
   
7. Water Resource Conservation
     Retaining water within ecosystems and restoring water bodies, improving access to water for both the population and agriculture.
   
   

Social Cohesion
  Encouraging local participation and cooperation, strengthening community ties and promoting social responsibility.

The program includes training for local farmers and herders, but progress has been slow: in 16 years, only 4% of the planned forest belt has been planted, and the project is less than 15% complete. The main obstacles include lack of funding, corruption, and low public engagement. Around 80% of planted trees have died due to neglect, livestock grazing, and logging for firewood.

At the same time, there have been some successes: in Nigeria, Senegal, and Ethiopia, approximately 35 million hectares of land have been restored, and 350,000 jobs have been created at a cost of $8 billion. However, Western investors are reluctant to fund the project, indicating its low efficiency so far. In contrast, a similar initiative, the “Great Green Wall of China,” has been successfully implemented.

One of China’s largest environmental projects, the “Three-North Shelterbelt Program,” also known as the “Great Green Wall of China,” is named after the Great Wall of China. This initiative aims to create protective forest belts in northwestern, northeastern, and northern China, forming a dense shield against sandstorms that threaten farmland. The afforestation zone runs along the northern border, stretching 4,500 kilometers from east to west.

In 1978, the Xinhua Forest Farm in Linhe District began combating desertification caused by soil salinization. Today, newly forested areas cover 2,600 hectares. Since 2012, China has nearly halved its desert lands, protecting 24.5 million hectares from environmental degradation. The country has also established 41 model zones and 99 national desert parks to prevent desertification.

On China’s northern border, an ecological barrier has been constructed to shield against wind and sand, with trees and shrubs strategically planted for maximum effectiveness.

Over the past 10 years, the Three-North Shelterbelt Program has Increased forested land to 33.3 million hectares, reclaimed 336,000 km² of desertified land and reduced the number of sandstorm days from 6.8 to 2.4 per year

Another project focuses on controlling sandstorm sources in Beijing and Tianjin. Over 20 years, 9,500 hectares of land have been reforested, and 66,000 hectares have been equipped with sand-protection barriers.

Russia’s Experience in this matter

The system of protective forest belts was first developed and implemented in Russia thanks to the work of Russian scientists V.V. Dokuchaev and P.A. Kostychev in the late 19th – early 20th century. After the 1891 famine, the Russian government organized an expedition and scientific research led by V.V. Dokuchaev, a prominent soil scientist, who presented practical recommendations for combating drought through the creation of protective forest belts. Following the plan developed by these scientists, from 1898 to 1917, Russia established 11 protective forest belts, 170 ravine and gully plantations, and 52 sand-stabilizing plantations.

This effort was actively promoted in the cultural sphere as well. The famous writer and playwright Anton Chekhov incorporated passionate monologues about forest conservation into his plays “The Wood Demon” and “Uncle Vanya.”

Due to the 1917 socialist revolution, the plan was never fully realized. However, after the severe droughts of 1946 and 1947, which resulted in more than 1.5 million deaths due to crop failures and famine, the initiative was revived on a new, larger scale.

To develop and implement the plan, the Agrolesproekt Institute was created. The project aimed to establish a network of “Green Frameworks”—large-scale, intersecting protective forest belts in arid regions prone to erosion and desertification. Over eight years, the total length of the protective forest belts exceeded 5,300 km, and 2.3 million hectares of forest were planted. In parallel, a major irrigation system was developed, and a network of forest protection stations was established.

This initiative became one of the largest and most systematic afforestation projects in history, serving as a model for future environmental and agricultural policies worldwide.

A significant amount of work was carried out in the cultural sphere and mass media to support afforestation initiatives. Renowned composers and musicians created now-famous songs about forests, praising the grand-scale forest restoration efforts. These songs reflected the people’s long struggles with famine caused by droughts, the joy of the youth calling for the beautification of the Earth with gardens, and the nation’s dreams of a future rich in nature.

Necessary Measures to Address the Issue

To ensure the continuation and expansion of the crucial Great Green Wall project in African countries, it is essential to apply all available positive experiences and take a comprehensive approach to addressing the issue.

First and foremost, the strategy for greening Africa needs to be adjusted to incorporate the principles of the biotic pump effect—a mechanism for drawing moist air masses from the ocean into the continent. This approach would help increase rainfall, thereby reducing extreme daily temperatures, improving living and working conditions, and boosting agricultural productivity. The biotic pump (forest pump) effect and the principles of its activation must always be taken into account when planning large-scale afforestation projects at the continental and national levels. You can learn more about this concept in the following article: (link to article).

The key aspects of the Great Green Wall’s success and further development include establishing efficient irrigation systems, organizing forest protection stations staffed with specialists responsible for safeguarding the forests and Introducing specialized soil additives and bacteria to support the formation of a healthy soil biocenosis

These measures will promote the growth of grasses and plants, which will help retain moisture and lower soil temperatures during the day.

In regions with significant temperature variations between day and night, it is necessary to implement atmospheric moisture capture systems that transfer water into the soil by utilizing dew formation processes, along with other innovative methods.

A comprehensive and well-targeted approach must be taken in the cultural and educational spheres, with a particular emphasis on environmental education for young people. This should include engaging children and teenagers through animated films, movies, video games, music videos, and songs that highlight the importance of forest conservation and caring for our Mother Earth.

It is essential to systematically and consistently organize long-term environmental competitions, TV shows, quizzes, and contests. Additionally, there should be iconic films featuring well-known personalities in leading roles, where the main characters are people planting forests and foresters protecting them—defending forests from reckless farmers and poachers, as well as from corrupt officials who, out of ignorance or greed, rob their own children and country of a better future.

Animated films should be produced to convey the message that Mother Earth is a living being that needs our care and support. Furthermore, they should promote the idea that God is the Father who gives us a soul, while the Earth is the Mother who provides us with a physical body and all the resources necessary for its survival—but like any mother, she also needs the love and support of her children.

A long-term, systematic environmental education program must be established as an integral part of national and spiritual culture. This effort should involve famous athletes, film and music stars, spiritual, social, and political leaders, as well as youth icons and influencers. The goal is to instill a strong and lasting perception that those who plant and protect forests are heroes, offering people hope for a brighter future and working for the true well-being of others, thereby bringing an era of stability and prosperity closer.

Through coordinated and well-planned international efforts, the Great Green Wall project in Africa must not only be successfully completed but also significantly expanded—spreading across Africa, Asia, and eventually the entire planet. This vision includes a global network of intersecting large-scale forest belts that will stabilize the climate and ecosystems, ensuring both environmental and food security for all nations. Alongside this, countries must transition to organic and environmentally friendly agriculture, while actively working to cleanse soils and water bodies from harmful chemicals and pollutants that endanger both human health and the planet’s well-being.

To learn more about the comprehensive plan for nature restoration and protection implemented in Russia, follow this link: (here will be a link to our article on this website about the “Stalin Plan for the Transformation of Nature,” titled “Comprehensive Plan for Nature Restoration and Protection”).

Useful links on this topic:

1. The Great Green Wall: A Project of Hope for the African Continent
   
2. Great Green Wall – RuWiki
   
   
3. Article from Komsomolskaya Pravda
   
4. The Great Plan for the Transformation of Nature (1952)
    LiveJournal article by Pavel Petukhov