In Senegal, the Madina Kadié Pawé, Thilogne Tokossel and Mollé neighbourhoods in the northern council of Thilogne will benefit from new green spaces. This is part of the “Thilogne ville verte” citizens’ initiative, which aims to halt the advance of the desert in the Matam region. To this end, a tree-planting day is scheduled for 26 and 27 August 2023.
The operation, which is based on the implementation of the United Nations’ 14th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG14), which calls for the protection of terrestrial biodiversity, will mobilise the local population, in particular local elected representatives, schoolchildren and civil society organisations (CSOs). These volunteers will then take part in a campaign to raise awareness of nature conservation through fun sessions and door-to-door canvassing.
“We want to build a shield against desertification with the slogan of planting a tree in the heart of every child. To achieve this, we frequently organise public conferences and other ecological activities to encourage people to adopt more environmentally-friendly reflexes and behaviour on a daily basis”, explains Samba Diawara, the Communications Officer for “Thilogne ville verte”.
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Other initiatives relating to SDG14 are underway in several towns affected by drought and deforestation. These include the “Green Senegal” programme, which aims to increase the number of forest parks in urban areas by 2035. With the support of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the Senegalese government is banking on this programme to boost carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration and wildlife protection throughout the country.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi