The executive secretary of the United Nations convention to combat desertification, Ibrahim Thiaw, would not have disdained a more supportive atmosphere. After the disappointing Cali (Colombia) conferences on biodiversity in October, and then Baku (Azerbaijan) on climate in November, the third UN convention resulting from the 1992 Rio summit meets from December 2 to 13 in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) with the same objective of finding financing. This time to help the most vulnerable countries prepare for droughts and address land degradation.
What is the main cause of land degradation in Africa?
In Africa, as elsewhere, agriculture and the deforestation it causes is the main cause of the impoverishment of the land. The destruction of grasslands to expand cultivated areas – in a context of strong demographic growth – also contributes to this. The emergence of a middle class is changing eating habits and giving rise to new needs. Land degradation is occurring at an unprecedented speed in Africa and the rest of the world, while climate change increases pressure on natural spaces.
Which regions of the continent are the most affected?
No region is spared. Even central Africa, with its hot and humid climate, is affected. Obviously, the further we move from the equatorial belt, the more vulnerability increases. Rivers are experiencing increasingly frequent periods of drought and it is no longer uncommon for dunes to form that obstruct the flow, causing further land loss or even transforming regions into inaccessible areas.
In countries such as Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal, major river basins are silting up and natural vegetation, such as riparian acacia forests, is being submerged. Erosion contributes to displacing seed capital from the soil and uprooting herbaceous and woody species.
This situation has consequences for the land areas still available, of which Africa is considered the largest reserve. I don’t know if this is still true. The continent is losing its natural capital while the population still depends mainly on nature to live. It is shocking to see that countries that were agricultural export zones are now subject to food aid. Zimbabwe was forced to cull elephants to feed its population.
What do you expect from the Riyadh conference?
Our objective is to move towards the creation of a drought response framework that allows States to anticipate and prepare populations. Alert systems such as those already used by the countries united in the Interstate Committee to Fight Drought in the Sahel, for example, make it possible to have semi-annual forecasts. It is also important that these States have seeds adapted to climate change.
The poorest countries can lose up to 10% of GDP during drought episodes, not to mention the consequences on food insecurity. Their populations are not covered by any insurance system. The project we are working on meets all these aspects. We estimate that $6.4 billion [6 milliards d’euros] It takes more than ten years to support the eighty poorest or middle-income countries, as classified by the World Bank. Forty-five are African. Saudi Arabia, as the host country of the convention, will lead this initiative along with other countries in the region. Financial contributions will be voluntary.
The Great Green Wall, by proposing to revegetate a strip 7,800 kilometers long and 15 kilometers deep, was to provide a response on a Sahel scale. Is the initiative moving forward?
The initiative is progressing more slowly than we would like and this is mainly due to institutional reasons. There are weaknesses at the level of certain States and the Pan-African Coordination Agency. There is no lack of political will. I do not know of any agricultural development project in the world that covers such a vast territory – from Senegal to Djibouti – and for which heads of state meet regularly.
We also cannot blame the lack of technical experts or money, but promises of financing can only materialize if there is a strong institutional structure and capacity to absorb funds. Foreign donors have pledged billions of dollars, but each has its own disbursement rules and requirements. Given this, countries like Djibouti or Mali do not have the capacity to respond.
Besides Senegal, always cited as an example, what other countries have managed to carry out large-scale reforestation and land restoration programs?
Several countries have made significant progress, notably Ethiopia, Niger and Nigeria. This project creates emulation. South Africa is building its Great Green Wall. These countries have more resources and stronger institutions. The influence goes beyond the continent, since a project financed by Saudi Arabia is underway and will go from the greater Middle East to the Maghreb.
It remains important to connect the restored corridors between countries, but we must also admit that the route of the Great Wall, as designed, was artificial and in some places responded more to political considerations – to satisfy an elected official or a dignitary – only for Environmental justifications. This is being fixed.
