"About a quarter of the world's population is suffering from drought. Soil conditions in Europe are also rapidly deteriorating. Protecting soils and lands is a global challenge. We must act together today to ensure that future generations have access to vital natural resources. We can feed humanity and We can only cope with the climate and biodiversity crisis if we have healthy soils,”
said Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The risk of desertification is widespread and spans more than 100 countries, hitting some of the poorest and most vulnerable populations the hardest, since subsistence farming is common across many of the affected regions. Recovery is a natural solution to address the triple planetary crisis, create new jobs, reduce poverty and build resilience to extreme weather. Earth is life and we must protect it.
In China
The "Green Wall of China" is a project designed to prevent the expansion of deserts in the territory of the People's Republic of China. The landscaping process included the following steps: First, tree and plant planting boxes were placed throughout the desert area. Special tools, such as spiral drills or water jets, were used to create the holes, which helped optimize the use of space and reduce landscaping costs. Then the Chinese began to actively plant plants.
Thanks to the developed technology, it takes only 10 seconds to prepare each hole and plant one plant, which allows you to plant a large number of seedlings at the same time.
In the past, tractors were used to level the surface, but for now the Chinese have limited themselves to planting trees only on the slopes of the dunes, allowing the wind to level the surface on its own. Plants planted in the desert begin to transform the ecosystem, leading to changes in natural conditions and the gradual arrival of animals.
In the UAE
In the UAE, sands cover about 75 percent of the country. There, they first decided to fight desertification in the traditional way, planting many trees. But most of the planted trees died. At that time, the UAE invested in nine rain enhancement projects, the total cost of which was about $15 million. Also used is the spraying of liquid clay nanoparticles, which quickly transform desert sand into fertile soil. As a result of using this method, 47 percent less water was spent on irrigation, and the yield of watermelons, millet and zucchini increased
In Africa
The "Great Green Wall" is an African Union project aimed at combating desertification of lands south of the Sahara Desert. The essence of the project is to create a strip of woody vegetation that can contain the expansion of the Sahara. In Burkina Faso, farmer Yacouba Sawadogo has successfully combated desertification using traditional African agronomy. He modified the traditional cultivation practice of Zaï, which allows crops to be grown in pits that collect water after heavy rains, even in water-scarce regions.
People living in the villages of Senegal work in the forest area that is part of the Great Green Wall
Reforestation
Successful projects include the Green Wall of China and the Great Green Wall of Africa.
Soil restoration
The methods focus on two aspects: providing water and fixing and over-fertilizing the soil. Innovative soil restoration methods are also being used. In particular, an interesting method is used in the Middle East region through the use of nanoparticles of liquid natural clay, which transform sand into fertile soil. The technology works by spraying a liquid consisting of water and clay onto dry, damaged soil.
Desert reclamation
Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration has been successfully implemented in some countries. The process involves allowing germinating trees to grow naturally by selectively pruning shrub shoots.
Grazing management
It has been suggested to use a fence with many small paddocks and move the herd from one paddock to another every other day or two to imitate the work of shepherds and allow the grass to grow.
UN Convention to Combat Desertification as a global platform
Adopted on 17 June 1994, the UNCCD is the only legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. The Convention specifically addresses arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as drylands, where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems can be found.
Announcements and commitments made on the occasion of World Environment Day
Maldives President Mohamed Muizu launched a project to grow five million trees;
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reaffirmed the government's commitment to conserving 30 percent of land and ocean by 2030 and promoting clean energy;
Brazilian President Lula da Silva attended a presentation by Environment Minister Marina Silva, which summed up the ministry's activities over almost a year and a half of government work. The minister also announced new environmental measures, including signed decrees;
More than 16 million seeds have been planted in Oman as part of an initiative to plant 10 million native tree varieties;
Bangladesh plans to increase its forest cover to 25 percent by 2030;
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and his cabinet announced the government's intention to ban bottom trawling in protected marine areas and in all Swedish territorial waters (waters up to 12 nautical miles);
A new observatory has been opened to track progress on Africa's Great Green Wall;
North America's largest outdoor mural was unveiled to celebrate World Environment Day;
The Rainforest Trust announced a significant milestone: 50 million acres of habitat are now protected, 40 times the size of Grand Canyon National Park;
The areas designated for Przewalski's horses in Kazakhstan mark a new stage in the conservation of biodiversity;
The Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development has announced the winners of one million US dollars to help restore life on land;
Liberian President Joseph Boakai declared World Environment Day, which will be celebrated throughout the country, as a working holiday.
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