The pan-African Great Green Wall (GGW) is an initiative that was initially meant to involve the planting of a 15 km wide transcontinental forest belt running from Dakar to Djibouti. This major project is designed to combat desertification. The band of vegetation is to be as continuous as possible, but it may be rerouted if necessary to skirt around obstacles (streams, rocky areas, mountains) or to link inhabited areas (see. grandemurailleverte.org).

Scientists have and are still being queried by people, NGOs and donors on the merits and feasibility of this project. Members of CSFD are drawing up a summary of scientific findings to help answer these questions. Members of CSFD have been drawing up a summary of scientific findings to help answer these questions, published online (French) in October 2011. The English version of this review has been published in December 2012. 

This fact sheet summarizes the key points. Three misconceptions should be clarified before being able to shed light on the issue and provide useful advice.