Mauritania to curb desert sands amid lack of rain

By Bisola Adeyemo

Lack of rainfall in Mauritania has slowed down residents’ effort of planting trees to curb desert sands threatening homes and farming fields.

The residents are planting a “Great Green Wall” hoping to slow down the process of approaching sands, africanews said.

The project started in 2007 and the aim is to erect a green wall across the vast Sahel region, but lack of rainfall in the country has reduced the effects of tree planting.

The Great Green Wall project was launched in 2007 and is now being implemented by more than 20 countries across Africa.

“Since 2018, rain has become very rare, and since then, people have been using pumps in palm groves. It is through this method that we were able to protect them. People need to be helped with pumps during times of drought. With the help of these solar pumps, we were able make water available to everyone and meet the water needs” said Salem, a resident in Chinguetti.

“What we are doing here is a way to protect the palm groves from the effects of the wind. We surround the palm tree with a small hole, then fill it with water, while trying to protect it with blankets. It is with this method that I can make the palm trees live” adds Salem.

“The program of the great green wall, what needs to be understood is that it’s an integrated rural development program that combines both the objectives of preserving the environment, and the objectives of setting up rural development poles, so as to be able to improve the living conditions of rural populations and especially the most vulnerable populations”, explained Marieme Bekaye, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development for Mauritania.