Resilient dryland forests in Burkina Faso CCALM Project, showcasing tree species that support local communities - Credit: CCALM Project Implementation Unit.
Dryland forests in the Sahel are remarkable ecosystems that embody resilience and adaptability. Stretching across the arid landscape, iconic tree species such as Acacia, Baobab, and Shea trees stand as symbols of endurance, providing vital resources like food, medicine, and shade for both communities and livestock. These tenacious forests are not only lifelines for biodiversity but also cornerstones of local livelihoods.
The Sahel has made significant strides in its re-greening efforts, yet the region faces mounting challenges. With temperatures rising 1.5 times faster than the global average, the pressure on these ecosystems are intensifying. Degraded, dry forests are disappearing, and the competition for scarce resources is exacerbating social and economic tensions. However, within these challenges lies a powerful opportunity for transformation. By prioritizing sustainable land management, strengthening regulations, and investing in landscape restoration, we can secure livelihoods, foster resilience, and break the cycle of environmental decline.
Building on Success
In 2012, the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility launched the Sahel and West Africa Program in Support of the Great Green Wall (SAWAP) to enable countries to restore degraded land, support local economies, and strengthen resilience from Senegal to Ethiopia. Over the years, SAWAP has rehabilitated 1.6 million hectares of land and benefitted 19.4 million people.
SAWAP’s impact goes beyond numbers, it empowered communities to manage their landscapes, fostering pride and stewardship. However, SAWAP also highlighted a key challenge: the need to focus on jobs and engage the private sector. This lesson has shaped the next phase of the World Bank’s efforts: the RESILAND Sahel Program.
Scaling Up: A $500 million Commitment for Resilient Futures
Building on SAWAP’s successes, the World Bank has committed over $ 500 M of IDA financing to support countries in expanding integrated landscape management across the Sahel under the Sahel RESILAND Umbrella Program. The Program is comprised of investments projects, knowledge development, and regional exchanges to bring solutions to scale. The investments, aligned with the Sahel Climate and Development Report, aim to enhance resilience of people, land and markets for dryland forest products.
Restoring Hope, One Landscape at a Time
These projects are not just about restoring land, they’re about restoring hope. By integrating Sustainable Land Management, reforestation, natural regrowth, job creation, and governance reforms, RESILAND is addressing the root causes of poverty and instability.
In Burkina Faso, the Communal Climate Action and Landscape Management Project supports over 250 producers, mainly women, in adopting sustainable practices in moringa, shea, and baobab value chains. With 133 investments in reforestation, vegetable markets, livestock enclosures for vaccination, etc., 3,500 green jobs are anticipated, the project is not just improving livelihoods, it’s reducing competition over natural resources. Strengthening land rights through communal charters and shea park certification helps prevent disputes, offering communities a more secure future.
In Niger, the Landscape Restoration Project (PGIP) is restoring productivity to over 49,000 hectares of degraded land, creating 100,000 paid workdays for local communities, and supporting small enterprises in fisheries, aquaculture, and agro-forestry. Integrating agriculture, water, and forestry fosters resilience and sustainable livelihoods. For pastoralists and farmers, restored land means better grazing, reduced migration pressures, and fewer conflicts over scarce resources.
In Mali, the Land Degradation Restoration Project (PRTD-Mali) is adopting a landscape approach to create long-term employment opportunities for 10,000 people and restoring 400,000 hectares of degraded land. Grants for small enterprises dealing with sustainable gum arabic and moringa production and fisheries, will help reduces pressure on forests, boost resilience for vulnerable communities, and improve productivity for long-term sustainability.
In Chad, discussions are ongoing for a future Landscape Restoration project, building on the ongoing Local Development and Adaptation project. The project in preparation is expected to focus on cost-effective land rehabilitation techniques such as planting of shrubs and trees for dune stabilization and water retention, agro-silvo-pastoral activities, and ecotourism job creation. The project will combat desertification and foster social, natural, and cultural resilience, empowering communities, especially women and youth, to build a sustainable and prosperous future for the Sahel.
RESILAND Sahel: A Holistic Approach to Climate Resilience
RESILAND Sahel is more than a response to environmental and socio-economic challenges, it is a blueprint for a sustainable future. By restoring degraded landscapes, creating new economic opportunities, enhancing food security, and empowering communities, RESILAND is proving that resilience isn’t just about survival, it’s about building a thriving, self-sufficient future for the Sahel.
With financial backing from IDA and multiple multi-donor trust funds, such as the Adaptation Fund (ADPT), Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), Scaling Climate Action by Lowering Emissions (SCALE), Sahel and West African Coastal Countries (SAWAC), Climate Support Facility (CSF), PROGREEN and PROBLUE funds, SAHEL RESILAND is unlocking new economic opportunities, improving livelihoods, and protecting the ecological and socio-economic benefits of key natural resources like Lake Chad and the Inner Niger River Delta.
Dune stabilization in Sorko Tombo, Falwel-Dosso commune in Niger. Credit: NGO AUDCN
Final Thoughts: A Call to Action
Securing natural resources is key to breaking the cycle of conflict and instability in the Sahel and to transition to resilient economies that provide jobs and opportunities. Achieving this requires financial and technical support from governments, development partners, and the private sector.
Connecting dryland forest products to markets strengthens livelihoods, reduces migration, and mitigates conflict. A decade of progress has laid the foundation for sustainable dryland management, creating economic opportunities while addressing emerging challenges.
The RESILAND Sahel Program is an important building block in the call for action for more collaboration and innovation, scaling up investment, fostering partnerships, and developing long-term solutions for restoring dryland forests into vibrant forest economies that provide hope and opportunities for youth while reducing fragility in the region.
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