Meet some of the miracle workers who are pushing forward the frontiers of desert agriculture. Get your popcorn and family, and watch this entertaining 40-minute video that will amaze and inspire you. Hear about the creative irrigation systems and growing techniques of crops like the jojoba plant, wine grapes, peppers, and tomberries – tomatoes the size of blueberries. Learn about the unique aquaculture, from fish, to coral, to genetically modified prawns, made possible because of the talented scientists at Ben-Gurion University and the pioneering farmers of the Negev desert.

Ira Pastor, ideaXme life sciences ambassador interviews Dr. Paul Elvis Tangem the Coordinator for the GGWSSI at the African Union Commission, in the executive/administrative branch of the AU, headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Desertification is a type of land degradation in dry-lands in which biological productivity is lost due to natural processes, or induced by human activities, whereby fertile areas become increasingly arid, and may be caused by a variety of factors, such as climate change and over exploitation of soil.

One of the countermeasures for mitigating or reversing the effects of desertification is reforestation and in 2007 the African Union (AU) started the Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWSSI) Africa project in order to combat desertification in 20 countries across the Sahel and Sahara regions. The wall is projected to be 8,000 km wide, stretching across the entire width of the continent and has US$8 billion dollars in support so far. To date, the project has restored 36 million hectares of land, and by 2030, the initiative plans to restore a total of 100 million hectares. The Great Green Wall has created many job opportunities for the participating countries, with over 20,000 jobs created in Nigeria alone.

Dr. Paul Elvis Tangem is the Coordinator for the GGWSSI at the African Union Commission, in the executive/administrative branch of the AU, headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Before joining the African Union Commission, Dr. Tangem worked as Regional Enterprise Development Manager for Tree Aid International, a UK based international development charity. He also worked with The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN-FAO) as Technical adviser for the programs to promote different groups engaged in forest products based enterprises. He has also served with other organizations including Centre in Scotland, Environmental Justice Foundation, London, and the Watershed Task Group in Cameroon. He is also a mentor and coach, and is behind the establishment of well known start-ups in Cameroon, West Africa.

Dr. Tangem holds a BSc from University of Dschang - Cameroon, MSc in Ecology & Management University of Edinburgh, an Executive MBA from PGSM Paris, and PH.D in Business Administration, and several other certificates and diplomas. He is a member of several professional networks including Junior Chambers International where is a Senator, and a pioneer member of World Greening Alliance created by World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and Elion Group in China.

On this episode we will hear from Dr. Tangem about -

His background - how he developed an interest in ecology, the environment, and his path towards managing the GGWSSI project at the AU

An overview of the Great Green Wall Initiative project

The technological steps involved in the de-desertification processes, including managing water, biomass, and rebuilding soils

- Benefits of the GGWSSI (i.e. food, non-food crops, wealth, carbon capture) as well as challenges (i.e. terrorism, country specific interests)

Future focus and plans for expansion of the GGWSSI in other parts of Africa, as well as for dealing with coastal deserts / salt water agriculture / aquaculture opportunities

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