In sub-Saharan Africa, 60% of the land is being degraded, endangering the livelihoods of millions of people. It’s exciting to see Africa turning green. More and more people and animals are fighting for fertile land, which is becoming smaller every year. To reverse this, we partnered with @lead.tz and local communities to restore the earth by digging #earthsmiles and the results surprised us.
We are sharing with you a video about the #regreening effect for four years – from the dry and dusty desert to the growing green savannah. Can you imagine the impact these measures could have on the next four?
The community in Irerendeni village in particular is battling drought and land degradation. So far, 650 people have dug more than 2,408 #earthsmiles over an area of 47 hectares.
The project in Irerendeni is part of the HUSISHA (INCLUDE) project, a collaborative program by @mviwaarusha and @lead.tz, funded by #Justdiggit and \n@TAG
Africa’s greens: from the dry, dusty desert to the lush open savannah
The project involves restoring semi-arid areas using nature-based solutions. An example of this is the technique of collecting rainwater using semi-circular wells, or as we like to call them #earthsmiles.
These water fountains/ground pools in the ground help capture rainwater and prevent it from escaping and causing erosion. The wells give the rainwater time to penetrate the ground and reach the seeds and roots underground. The increased soil moisture allows the vegetation to recover naturally. This has a positive impact on soil health, water availability, biodiversity and climate change, while also improving the livelihoods of local communities.
Together with @justdiggit and local communities, a total of 27,000 wells were dug. Interesting fact: A well is 5 meters wide and 2.5 meters long and has the capacity to revegetate a degraded area of 124 m2 and extract 2,100 liters of water each time it is full.
By working with nature rather than against it, Africa will become greener and we have the opportunity to ensure food and water security for millions of people, restore nature and reverse global warming.
With information from:
