What is the Sahel?

The Sahel is a region in Africa that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the east. It is a transitional zone between the Sahara desert to the north and the savannas to the south, covering parts of 16 countries including Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.

The Sahel is characterized by a semi-arid climate, with highly variable rainfall and frequent droughts. The region is home to more than 100 million people, most of whom depend on agriculture and livestock for their livelihoods. However, the combination of population growth, climate change, and environmental degradation has led to a process of desertification, where fertile land turns into desert, threatening the livelihoods of millions.

Despite the challenges, there are also initiatives aimed at addressing the challenges facing the Sahel, such as the Great Green Wall project, which aims to plant a 8,000-kilometer band of trees across the entire width of the continent to combat desertification and land degradation.