Combatting desertification in Mauritania

Desertification is the process of fertile land becoming desert—a significant problem throughout Africa.

Around 45 percent of Africa’s land mass is experiencing desertification. While the world is facing the adverse effect of climate change. Mauritania is one of the nations that is affected by climate change and facing the impact of desertification.

Currently, 90 percent of Mauritania lies in the Sahara Desert, the nation is particularly vulnerable to the effects of lengthy periods of drought and decreased rainfall. The effects of desertification have seriously threatened Mauritanian’s livelihoods.

The Mauritanian government has taken measures to combat climate change and desertification. It is predicted that the temperature in Mauritania is set to rise between 2.0 and 4.5 °C by 2080.

Desertification is having a detrimental impact on the livelihood of farmers. Many farmers across the countries are struggling to grow enough food to eat or sell.

The country is facing severe food and nutritional insecurity – according to the World Food Programme, 22.1% of people live in poverty, and 9.8% of young children suffer from acute malnutrition.

While trying to survive desertification, Mauritanians must also deal with water sanitation. According to the World Health Organization, 2,150 Mauritanians die from diarrheal disease yearly.

Around 90% of these deaths are linked to a lack of sanitation and access to clean water. Furthermore, desertification is preventing rural villages from accessing water at all.

Muslim Hands Combatting Desertification project in Taguilalett aims to tackle desertification in the village. We will be planting 20,000, including acacias (trees), Leptadenia (shrubs), and panicums (herbaceous).

The trees will be planted four metres apart – with shrubs in-between. The trees will stop the wind and the sand’s movement. This project aims to provide much-needed relief to the community impacted by climate change and desertification.