Over a decade ago, the Global Environment Facility, in close partnership with the World Bank, invested in what has become a landmark project for Africa and the world - the Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWI) in the Sahara and Sahel.

Throughout its history, the GEF has been a strategic partner of the GGWI countries and provided more than $800 million in grants through diverse projects and programs. These investments have leveraged an additional $6 billion from national governments, development partners, and other multilateral sources in support of the GGWI. These resources have helped improve landscape resilience and livelihoods, which has reduced poverty and enhanced both food and water resource security. This, in turn, has helped countries increasingly adopt innovative practices for improving crop and livestock productivity and restoring degraded lands. Much remains to be done. However, progress to date through collaborative action affirms the potential of targeted investments to support actions on the ground.