Desertification has been seriously affecting Mauritania for decades, and is exacerbated by climate change and human activities. With 70 percent of its population living in rural areas and directly relying on natural resources for their livelihoods, environmental degradation has severely impacted the country's development.

The BRIDGES Project with the support of Action Against Desertification programme aims to improve livelihoods and the resilience of local communities along the Great Green Wall. The project will be implemented in the Trarza and Brakna wilayas (regions) located in the southern part of the country bordering Senegal. Main activities will consist of:

Land restoration on an area of 2 000 hectares of degraded land, one thousand in each of Trarza and Brakna. At least 10 perennial fodder species as well as commercial gum producing species will be promoted. Techniques to be used include land preparation and water harvesting techniques, mechanical and biological dune fixation, seeding and planting, as well as assisted natural regeneration when possible.

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