Soucoucoutane, Niger – It has been two years since Action Against Desertification started working in Soucoucoutane in eastern Niger. The mayor of this commune is delighted with the results obtained.

"You know, this is a relatively isolated area of the country,” says Hassane Abdoulaye, mayor of the commune of Soucoucoutane, 300 km to the east of Niger’s capital Niamey. “Access roads are lacking and development projects are rare.”

Soucoucoutane is one of the thirteen communes in Niger where Action Against Desertification operates. This EU-funded project supports the implementation of the Great Green Wall initiative in six African countries: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Gambia, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal.

In Niger, Action Against Desertification aims to increase the living standards of rural communities and strengthen the resilience and productivity of drylands through restoration and the sustainable management of natural resources, while stimulating economic growth.

In order to respond to the massive needs in Niger, Action Against Desertification has scaled-up the restoration of degraded land. It uses mechanised land preparation with the specialised Delfino plough. So far, 6 000 hectares of land have been restored and nearly 250 000 seedlings of well-adapted local trees, shrubs and grasses have been planted.

"The results speak for themselves,” says Hassane Abdoulaye. “There is a nursery in Soucoucoutane now, which allows us to plant thousands of trees per year. We also produce seeds of fodder grasses to re-vegetate areas that have long been unsuitable for grazing."

"Here in Soucoucoutane we experience the adverse effects of desertification and climate change every day,” Hassane Abdoulaye says. “Action Against Desertification has shown us that the environment is everybody's business. Because if we want to live on these lands, we need to safeguard them."

More on Action Action Desertification in Niger