The topography and the view of the Sahara Desert are going to be changed and it is not what people would normally expect. The Senegalese farmers are building a Great Wall of their liking and this, in no way, resembles a wall. In fact, it is going to be a wall of gardens.
The town of Boki Diawe, in northeast Senegal, has an aerial view of a planned garden and no one is complaining against this mesmerizing sight. The concept of the planted gardens is called tolou keur. This is a manifestation of the Great Green Wall Project.
These green walls are designed by an agricultural engineer, Aly Ndiaye, a Senegalese agricultural engineer who was not able to leave the area when the borders were closed. The initial concept was brought forward in 2007 and it was a result of the collaboration between the African Union, the European Union, the World Bank, and the United Nations.
The aim was to lessen the desertification and its unpleasant repercussions. The plan comprised of planting a belt of trees 10 miles wide and 4,350 miles long across the Sahel region, from Senegal to Djibouti. However, owing to the lack of funding and the practical implications of the harsh weather in the area, the project was left incomplete.
According to a report by Reuters, it was only made possible to plant 4% of the pledged 100 million hectares of trees, and completing it by 2030 as intended might cost up to $43 billion. However, now, the project is being completed and a more localized approach is being implemented.
The plants that are being used are resistant to dry areas like mangoes and papayas. Moreover, medicinal plants are also used. The project is not only going to help increase greenery in the area but will increase food security, reduce regional desertification, and engage thousands of community workers.