SADC Strategy for the Implementation of the Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWI).

The inception of the Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWI) was driven by three interconnected objectives: firstly, the preservation, development, and sustainable management of renewable natural resources and ecosystems; secondly, the enhancement of infrastructure and the optimization of rural potential; and thirdly, the diversification and consolidation of economic activities aimed at improving the livelihoods of local rural communities. Former President Obasanjo of Nigeria translated the concept of partnership into the tangible vision of the "Great Green Wall." This concept was inspired by various experiments conducted across Africa to combat the encroachment of sand dunes on human settlements, employing strategies such as green belts, barriers, and earth-front defenses. It was also informed by the understanding that deserts are dynamic environments prone to shifting, with trees recognized as crucial in safeguarding, rejuvenating, and greening ecosystems, thus halting desertification. The GGWI does not solely aim to establish a contiguous forest spanning East to West Africa, although it places significant emphasis on expanding vegetative land cover. Its primary focus lies in implementing a comprehensive suite of integrated actions to address the multifaceted challenges affecting populations in arid and semi-arid regions. These multidimensional efforts traverse various sectors, tackling issues such as drought management, natural resource sustainability, and the resilience of rural production systems encompassing agriculture, livestock, and forestry. Additionally, the initiative prioritizes the development of rural production and trade infrastructure, fostering economic diversification, wealth generation, and inclusivity, while also considering gender and youth empowerment within the framework of development. The key partners involved in this endeavor include (i) national governments; (ii) scientific community; (iii) implementing partners; (iv) financial and technical partners; (v) international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or intergovernmental organizations (IGOs); (vi) research institutes working on sustainable land management background data and technological packages adapted for land resource use; (vii) civil society organizations. These partners are primarily tasked with (i) engaging in political dialogue with African governments and institutions while collaborating with diverse stakeholders; (ii) assisting in formulating and executing GGWI investment programs; (iii) contributing to resource mobilization; (iv) providing pertinent technical assistance for systemic, institutional, and operational capacity development upon request from governments and/or the SADC Secretariat.
With the primary objective of combatting desertification, addressing land degradation, and mitigating drought impacts to achieve land degradation neutrality (LDN) in line with the UNCCD, the African Union's Agenda 2063, and the SADC Sub-regional Action Programme to Combat Desertification, the specific goals to be accomplished by 2030 include (i) develop and operationalize drought risk management, monitoring, and early warning systems and safety net programmes; (ii) promote sustainable land management and restoration at regional and national levels; (iii) harmonize policies, strategies and methodology to assess, manage and monitor land degradation; (iv) restore and rehabilitate degraded lands and biodiversity in southern Africa; (v) mobilize resources for the implementation of sustainable land management programs and projects; (vi) establish systems for sharing information and knowledge and facilitate networking on best practices and approaches; (vii) raise awareness, build capacity, and conduct training on sustainable land management in the region; (viii) enhance the resilience of vulnerable communities and ecosystems against the effects or impact of climate change; (ix) assess the extent and cost of land degradation in southern Africa; (x) quantify the area of land degradation in the southern African region; (xi) promote sustainable land management and restoration at transboundary and regional scales; (xii) mainstream sustainable land management in other sectors such as agriculture, water and wildlife; (xiii) strengthen coordination of UNCCD activities in the region; (xiv) strengthen research, development and innovation support programs; (xv) strengthen networks for cooperation among stakeholders.
The expected outcomes include increased participation from civil society, researchers, and the private sector, reduced vulnerability of ecosystems to climate change, enhanced community resilience, effective institutional and policy support, diversified and improved livelihoods, enhanced synergies with other Multilateral Environmental Agreements, quantification of land degradation in southern Africa, operational drought risk management, establishment of systems for sharing information, and facilitation of networking on best practices in sustainable land management. Expected outputs encompass sustainable funding for desertification, land degradation, and drought, community-level incentive schemes, adequate data for restoration activities, harmonized policies and tools for data management, monitoring and evaluation systems, promotion and implementation of measures for sustainable land management, secured safety net programs, and implementation of integrated sustainable land management and restoration initiatives across the region.