Building the great green wall by Citizen Zero

Building the Great Green Wall

C I T I Z E N Z E R O ——— I S S U E O N E

Tree Aid CEO Tom Skirrow on how thriving trees can transform the lives of communities in Africa’s Sahel region and help reverse the impacts of climate change The frankincense trees in Ethiopia’s Metema

harvest frankincense sustainably and

forest, the last green belt before the start of

protect the forest for future generations,

the desert, are a lifeline for members of the

are so important.

local community like 28-year-old mother of two Birtukan Gebeyehu. Yet, like so much

Joining Future Forest in a management and

of the natural resources and land in the Sahel,

leadership role, Birtukan now leads the

a drylands region of Africa where more than

forest management project and is the only

300 million people’s lives are affected by

female executive member. Through her

climate change, they’re at risk. Rising tem-

work she has increased her awareness of

peratures, high rates of tree felling, and

the climate crisis and conservation of

unsustainable tapping for frankincense

natural resources and, having not had the

mean that, with no action, the Metema forest

chance to attend school when she was

could be extinct in just 20 years.

young, is an advocate for the vital role of education and ensuring her own young chil-

For Birtukan and the communities who rely

dren have the opportunities that weren’t

on the forest for food and money – the trees

available to her. Trees, she says, ‘are the

provide up to 30% of household income for

beginning and the end. The whole system

families, who sell their resin to be used as

exists because there are trees, and if they

incense and essential oils around the world

are destroyed, it would collapse’.

– this would be devastating. Which is why community-led projects like Tree Aid’s Future Forest initiative, which provides tools and training so the local community can

C I T I Z E N Z E R O ——— I S S U E O N E

“In an environment where people already face poverty and food insecurity, every time more land is degraded the strain on life increases”

C I T I Z E N Z E R O ——— I S S U E O N E

THE CHALLENGES IN THE SAHEL

“This is a part of the world most affected

The work in the Metema forest is just one

by the climate crisis and land degradation,”

example of many that demonstrate the

Skirrow explains. “As an example, there’s

potential of a thriving ecosystem of trees.

roughly nine million hectares in Burkina Faso

Tree Aid recognises this, working with local

alone that was once viable as arable land,

people in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger,

but no longer is. In an environment where

Ethiopia, and Senegal to tackle poverty and

people already face poverty and food inse-

the effects of the climate crisis by growing

curity, every time more land is degraded

trees, improving livelihoods, and restoring

the strain on life increases. The challenges

land. Its projects, says CEO Tom Skirrow,

of climate change become exponential.

help to provide food and income to those

Temperatures in the Sahel have increased

who most need it today, and protect the

by around 1% since the 1970s and are pro-

environment for tomorrow.

jected to increase by a further 3% to 4% by the end of this century – potentially double

“When we were founded in 1987 famine was

the global forecasted rise – so you have

rife across the drylands of Africa,” he says.

this huge impact of the changes that are

“The aid effort at the time providing food,

happening in a place that’s already one of

clothing, and water was absolutely a neces-

the most vulnerable.”

sary approach, but it was also short-termist. Our premise was that there must be some-

Communities in the region rely on farmland

thing more sustainable that could also

for food and income, yet land degradation

empower local communities and help tackle

from human-related and natural factors like

many of the problems they faced. It was quite forward-thinking at that point to say that if trees and landscape management could be brought to these areas and they were restored to what they once were, then it should and will reduce desertification, which in turn will lower the likelihood of drought and famine.” The people of the Sahel face some of the most challenging living conditions imaginable as the result of climate change. Daily lives across the region are devastated by a drastic and ongoing reduction in fertile land, food is difficult to grow, poverty is increasing, and millions are forced to go hungry or flee their homes in search of work.

“Planting trees is better for agroforestry, crop yields and water retention, preventing erosion, making soil more fertile, providing shade from the sun, and providing food”

C I T I Z E N Z E R O ——— I S S U E O N E

“We ensure people learn the right skills and capabilities to restore and protect their land for future generations” overfarming, overgrazing, deforestation, and extreme weather are turning fertile land to desert. Without trees to stabilise the soil, store water, and protect the land, droughts and floods are more frequent and severe, and soil that was once rich in nutrients can no longer support life. Globally, 12 million hectares of land are lost to desertification each year while, across Africa, 700 million hectares of forest landscapes are already degraded; in the continent’s drylands 300 million people are vulnerable to desertification. Tree Aid takes a holistic and community-led approach to reversing the impact of some of these challenges across four key areas: forest governance, natural resource manage-

responsibility within the landscape that

ment, enterprise development, and food

surrounds their community. If you don’t have

security and nutrition. The first, says Skirrow,

those systems, rules, expectations, and

provides the foundation upon which to make

responsibilities and all the other work we go

lasting change: “It’s about saying ‘what in

on to do will likely fail.

this landscape do people have the responsibilities and rights to manage and care

“Our approach to natural resource manage-

for?’,” he states. “If that care isn’t there the

ment is about understanding the incentives

landscape degrades, so our forest govern-

to restoration,” he continues. “There’s

ance model focuses on working with the

a negative cycle at the moment of needing

local community to understand how each

more viable land to farm for income, clearing

member can play a part and have a right and

existing forestry because of that, and using trees for fuel. To make restoration a viable option for people on the frontline of the climate

C I T I Z E N Z E R O ——— I S S U E O N E

Birtukan Gebeyehu Birtukan leads Tree Aid’s Future Forest forest management project in Ethiopa’s Metema Frankincense forest, one of the largest green belts before the start of the desert. The forest’s trees provide up to 30% of household income for families in the local community yet, without action, they could be extinct in 20 years due to the impacts of deforestation and the climate crisis. By participating in the project, Birtukan has received training on ways to protect the forest for future generations, and increased her awareness of the climate crisis and the conservation of natural resources. Today she champions the forest’s trees in her community, saying ‘they are the beginning and the end. The whole system exists because there are trees, and if they are destroyed it would collapse’. For Birtukan, like so many women involved in Tree Aid’s projects, the impact of participating in work to tackle community climate challenges reaches far beyond trees. Difficult personal experiences when young meant she was unable to attend school leaving her passionate about education and her children having opportunities she didn’t. Her work with Tree Aid and role as a leader has improved her self-esteem and encouraged her to support local initiatives transforming the lives of women and girls in the community.

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“The only way to achieve lasting change – and change that’s desperately needed in this environment – is to work together and support the community to be empowered” crisis we work with communities to demonstrate the short- and long-term incentives for planting trees. In the long term it’s better for agroforestry, crop yields and water retention, preventing erosion, making soil more fertile, providing shade from the sun, and food.”

BUILDING SUSTAINABLE ENTERPRISE In the short term trees provide the opportunity to diversify income, build sustainable livelihood opportunities, and enterprise development. Across Africa 66% of the population are in ‘vulnerable’ employment; in the sub-Saharan region 413 million people live in extreme poverty. In this context, ongoing

TOM SKIRROW, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, TREE AID

reduction of fertile land and the climate crisis make it increasingly hard for people to grow crops to eat and sell and, with no sta-

especially vulnerable to the impact of the

ble source of income, basic essentials like

climate crisis in the Sahel, where the threat

healthcare and education are out of reach.

to rural livelihoods sees many adult men leave their communities to find work in urban

Tree Aid supports people to establish and

areas. Because of this, the responsibility

develop businesses using ‘non-timber’

to maintain natural resources, provide food,

forest products such as fruits, nuts, leaves,

fuel, shelter, and income rests with women

and oils to create viable enterprises capable

who, in countries like Burkina Faso, face

of supplementing farm income. Women are

challenges such as insecure rights, high levels of unpaid work, and unequal access to land, health, and education.

C I T I Z E N Z E R O ——— I S S U E O N E

Since 2017, Tree Aid has supported women

resistant to drought. Local people can use

and children in Burkina Faso through the

the trees’ products to set up enterprises,

creation of nutrition gardens. These small

with several groups having already devel-

communal village plots are dedicated to

oped business plans and selling in shops

cultivating fast-growing trees like moringa

and kiosks.

and baobab that produce leaves in as little as three months, are highly nutritious, and

“We ensure people learn the right skills and

can be used fresh or dry for consumption

capabilities to restore and protect their land

and sale. The moringa tree in particular brings

for future generations,” adds Skirrow. “That

a host of benefits. Known as the ‘drought

covers everything from how to plant and grow

warrior’, it’s almost entirely edible from

a tree, understanding how to manage forest

leaves to roots, packed with essential nutri-

fires or nurturing a tree that is sick, through

ents – just 100g of leaves contain as much

to managing the soil and water around the

protein as an egg, calcium as a glass of milk, and vitamin C as an orange – and is highly C I T I Z E N Z E R O ——— I S S U E O N E

tree so that when the rains come it can be

focused and African-led to grow a vast belt

slowed or retained for the purpose of grow-

of trees, vegetation, and fertile land across

ing the trees. And, in terms of how we work,

the drylands of the Sahel to increase biodi-

all of these natural resource management

versity, restore and protect land, grow food,

skills actually come further down the line

and create green jobs. By 2030, the Great

that you’d imagine; you set the right gov-

Green Wall aims to restore 100 million hec-

ernance and understanding of roles and

tares of land, sequester 250 million tons of

responsibilities, clearly map out the incen-

carbon, and create 10 million green jobs.

tives and opportunities, embed the skills,

As part of the movement, Tree Aid works

and only then do you plant the tree.”

together with the African Union and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification to

Relying on farmland for food and income

make lasting change.

makes life unpredictable. Too much or too little rain, rising temperatures and poor-

“The only way to achieve lasting change

quality soil means that communities often

– and change that’s desperately needed in

“There are millions of people out there that deserve better lives” struggle to grow enough food. As a result,

this environment – is to work together, sup-

malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies are

port the community to be empowered, and

common in the areas in which Tree Aid works

to have everyone pulling in the same direc-

– in sub-Saharan Africa 239 million people

tion,” says Skirrow. “When we work with

are undernourished, while nearly four mil-

a community it’s about them becoming the

lion children experience severe wasting.

change agents, but they can’t be the change

In this environment, trees like baobab or

agents without agency, and they can’t have

moringa are a crucial resource of fruit, nuts,

that agency without empowerment. On

and leaves, providing a stable and reliable

a practical level that involves looking at the

alternative to crops that may fail.

skills that are lacking, how we can shape them together, how we can help them under-

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY

stand the rights and responsibilities they

Skirrow points out that across Tree Aid’s

have to the space, and perhaps build a fairer

holistic approach, community empower-

system for managing it. If everyone contrib-

ment and working in partnership with

utes to that system together, they have the

people in the Sahel is fundamental. This

ability to make collective positive choices to

ethos underpins the Great Green Wall,

create better outcomes.”

an international effort that’s community12

C I T I Z E N Z E R O ——— I S S U E O N E

The benefits trees provide to regions like the

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years

Sahel and its people are vast. Aside from

ago, the second best time is now, and that’s

incentives for income and the provision of

acceptable for us because we’re in this for

nutritious sources of food, reforestation work

the long game,” says Skirrow. “Of course,

like that which Tree Aid carries out improves

you could fly a drone over the area and drop

biodiversity, helps prevent soil erosion,

seeds or seedlings and hope it works, but

improves water retention and prevents

the reality is it doesn’t. You make this work

flooding, improves soil fertility and thus

by working with the communities and build-

crop yield, and provide shade for people and

ing something they want to happen. If we

animals in increasingly high temperatures.

don’t start taking action now, then we’re in

And yet, the work isn’t simple.

serious trouble. I’d challenge anyone to say

“I’d challenge anyone to say the Sahel is too hard to restore. It’s a biodiverse and interesting environment. Yes, it’s tough terrain but if you plan well and choose the right trees for the conditions you can move at scale with the community”

C I T I Z E N Z E R O ——— I S S U E O N E

the Sahel is too hard to restore. It’s a biodiverse and interesting environment. Yes, it’s tough terrain but if you plan well and choose the right trees for the conditions you can move at scale with the community. “There is clearly a link between global deforestation and land degradation and global heating and the climate crisis,” he adds. “That means there’s a clear incentive for a world that’s trying to solve this problem to look to a place that is not only most affected by climate change, but also has land ready to be restored and a community ready to put work into that space. If this is genuinely something we see as a global solution to a global problem, then we should be looking at places like the Sahel, where the benefits are myriad, and considering how to support the restoration effort more effectively.”

why is the Sahel only ever mentioned when we’re talking about a coup? Why do regions and countries that don’t provide major exports or ties to trade links, or are not a part of the geopolitical sphere get forgotten? Or why aren’t we talking about the need to put funding into the region from international

ASKING CHALLENGING QUESTIONS In 2022 Tree Aid launched a new five-year strategy. It recognises both the ‘profound and urgent’ need for transformation and the opportunity to make significant and lasting change across the drylands of Africa. It also recognises that the scale of work required is beyond that which Tree Aid can do alone. This, says Skirrow, means focusing on engaging with other organisations and governments to instigate broader and systemic change.

governments? “There needs to be a ripple effect from the work we’re doing and the work of the Great Green Wall. It’s about systems change – influencing local governments to create policies for incentives, trade, and sustainable environmental management, but also securing the investment needed to drive these changes. We have to bring the Sahel to people’s attention so they recognise it’s the centre of the climate and poverty crises,

“It’s about thinking more deeply about what the systems are that are stopping this happening across the board,” he says. “That involves challenging questions for all of us:

and that there are millions of people out there who deserve better lives.” treeaid.org

C I T I Z E N Z E R O ——— I S S U E O N E

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