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Go Green with GBO: Africa’s Sahel region facing the climate brunt

The World Economic Forum's UpLink platform includes the Trillion Trees, the Sahel, and the Great Green Wall Challenge

The African Union came up with the idea in 2007 in reaction to the terrible droughts that had devastated the Sahel region, which had resulted in both extreme poverty and widespread land degradation. The GGW land restoration intervention zone in the Sahel spans 153 million hectares and measures 8,000 km long by 15 km wide.

The World Economic Forum’s UpLink platform includes the Trillion Trees, the Sahel, and the Great Green Wall Challenge. It seeks creative start-ups to “contribute to the vision of the Great Green Wall Initiative and offer benefits to people and the ecology of the Sahel.” It is part of the “Great Green Wall” sourcing challenge, which asks global supply chain managers to “upscale the usage of sustainably produced Sahelian ingredients.”

Steps Taken By WEF To Guarantee Food Security?

There are already two billion undernourished people on the planet, and by 2050, some projections say we will need 60% more food to feed everyone. However, the agriculture industry lacks the means to supply this demand. Currently, 70% of the world’s water usage and 30% of greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to it, while 700 million of its workers live in poverty.

While new technologies have the potential to improve the sustainability and efficiency of our food systems, the agricultural industry has sadly lagged behind other industries in adopting them.

Established in 2018, the World Economic Forum’s “Innovation with a Purpose Platform” has emerged as a broad collaboration that enables the integration of novel technology and other breakthroughs to revolutionise the methods of food production, distribution, and consumption.

Utilising research, growing investments in innovative agricultural technologies, and incorporating local and regional initiatives to improve food security, the platform collaborates with more than 50 partner institutions and 1,000 global leaders to harness emerging technologies to enhance the sustainability, inclusivity, and efficiency of our food systems.

These four outstanding innovators, who have won challenges, are contributing to a more sustainable way of living in the Sahel.

The company claims, “In Sahelian countries where desertification and deforestation are well advanced, our technology helps recover degraded land.”

In Mali, Green Energy’s “smart stove” collects waste heat and transforms it into pure electricity. This is powered by biochar made from nearby biomass waste and biomass pellets. Its “smart stove” generates energy that off-grid households may use for clean cooking, charging cell phones, and lighting up lightbulbs.

“We enable free access to green energy for a large number of homes in both rural and urban locations. Thanks to the recovery of domestic garbage that will no longer poison our towns,” the start-up claimed.

In Nigeria, the company’s “tele-irrigation” technology distributes water intelligently using sensors, solar power, and a cell phone. African agriculture has historically been primitive, using antiquated and inefficient tools and techniques for production. These practices and the current state of affairs hinder agricultural productivity, which is one of the primary causes of ongoing food insecurity.

The concept of an intelligent and remotely operated irrigation system originated from this observation, according to Abdou Maman Kané, CEO of Tech-Innov, as stated in an interview with StartupBRICS.com.

In Mali, Agrobusiness GTMD Sarl specialises in oilseed sales and exports, as well as seasonal goods like cashew nuts and shea butter. Additionally, it has created a method for making ecological charcoal from the leftover trash from the shea production.

“The company’s goal is to provide enormous amounts of high-quality shea products to the Malian market, which did not have a large-scale shea butter production processing industry until 2021,” GTMD Sarl said.

The “Great Green Wall Initiative” and the World Economic Forum’s food security efforts mark an ambitious approach to tackling the challenges of climate change and poverty in the Sahel region. While innovative technologies and start-ups are contributing valuable solutions, there remain significant hurdles in terms of scalability, adoption, and infrastructure.

Ultimately, success will depend on continued collaboration between local communities, governments, and international organisations to ensure that these sustainable practices can be implemented on a broader scale.

By leveraging new technologies and enhancing regional cooperation, the Sahel has a unique opportunity to combat climate change, restore its land, and improve food security.

However, this vision will require long-term commitment, sufficient funding, and concerted efforts across sectors. Balancing these innovative approaches with practical realities will be essential for fostering a more resilient and sustainable future for the Sahel and beyond.

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