Water bunds, Earth-smiles, half-moons, demi-lunes. This drought-fighting conservation technique has many names, but the goal is always the same: capture and sink water into an arid landscape so plants can grow.
In regions affected by hot sun and drought, the earth can harden into a sun-baked clay that doesn’t absorb rainwater. Water bunds help retain that rainwater, giving it time to seep into the ground and provide much-needed moisture for seed germination.
Over time, the cooling vegetation helps local communities expand their food resources, while improving the soil, air, and ecosystem.
In the video above, permaculture teacher and practitioner Andrew Millison journeys with the UN World Food Programme to the Sahel region of Senegal’s northern border. There, he sees how this landscape restoration, rooted in community collaboration and forgotten Indigenous methods, contributes to increased food security and ecosystem rehabilitation.
These sustainable, economy-boosting efforts also align with the goals of the Great Green Wall of Africa, an initiative aimed at slowing the Sahara Desert‘s southward migration by expanding arable land in the Sahel.
Watch these related videos next:
• Tolou Keurs, Senegal’s drought-resistant circular gardens
• Warka Water towers harvest drinkable water from the air
• Growing 500 edible plants in a forest
• The Maya Milpa Cycle, a sustainable forest gardening method
• Hopi Dryland Farming: Growing corn with rainfall in the desert
via Kottke.
Curated, kid-friendly, independently-published. Support this mission by becoming a sustaining member today.