The combination of low precipitation and high evapotranspiration, as well as poor natural resources management practices, such as deforestation and unsustainable grazing practices, have caused declines in agricultural production in Eritrea's arid and semiarid areas.

The BRIDGES Project will contribute to address these challenges by supporting the implementation of the national action plan for the Great Green Wall. In particular, the project will develop activities around:

Land restoration: the project will restore 1 000 ha of degraded lands in the Gash-Barka region, which borders the project intervention area with Sudan, using mostly useful native species of socio-economic importance.

Economic development: local communities will be supported in the development of selected value chains for non-timber forest products such as honey, gum arabic and products made from the doum palm (Hyphaene thebaica).

Capacity development: focusing on both technical and organizational capacities will be carried out to help set up and support sustainable community based producer organizations.