The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has allocated over 17 billion CFA francs (approximately $28 million) to Niger in support of its ongoing reforestation and land restoration efforts under the pan-African Great Green Wall initiative. A financing agreement was officially signed on Thursday in Niamey by Niger’s acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, Minister of Justice Alio Daouda, and FAO interim representative Genot Luc. The funding will help implement the “Strengthening the Resilience of the Great Green Wall of Africa” (SURAGGWA) project, aimed at combating desertification, boosting local livelihoods, and enhancing climate resilience.
The project targets the restoration of more than 265,000 hectares of degraded land, the establishment of over 700 community nurseries, and the creation of nearly 1,000 green jobs in the most vulnerable regions of Niger. Additionally, more than 1,000 local groups will receive training in sustainable land management practices. Beyond reforestation, the SURAGGWA initiative seeks to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, improve soil fertility, and mitigate the long-term effects of climate change. It is part of the broader African Union-led Great Green Wall programme, which spans across eight Sahel and Sahara countries from Senegal to Djibouti.
The initiative also aligns with Niger’s national objectives to strengthen food security, reduce rural poverty, and slow the advance of the desert that threatens agricultural production and biodiversity in the region.
