Regional Policy Coherence for the Great Green Wall Initiative: Soil Health as the Foundation to Realising the Ambitions of the Great Green Wall Initiative

African Union. 2025. Regional Policy Coherence for the Great Green Wall Initiative: Soil Health as the Foundation to Realising the Ambitions of the Great Green Wall Initiative. AICCRA Briefs. Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA)

Healthy soil is the foundation of resilient landscapes, sustainable food systems, and climate adaptation in Africa’s drylands. As a unifying element across climate, nutrition, biodiversity, and restoration agendas, soil health plays a critical role in realising the ambitions of the African Union’s Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWI). With over 65% of productive land degraded and soil erosion undermining agricultural productivity, smallholder farmers across the continent face compounding vulnerabilities. The GGWI Strategy (2024–2034) recognises soil health as central to reversing land degradation and building long-term resilience, aligning closely with the Africa Fertiliser and Soil Health Action Plan (AFSH-AP) (2023 – 2033) and broader goals outlined in the Ten-Year Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action Plan (2026-2035).

The GGWI Strategy has four strategic intervention axes that elevate soil health across governance, practice, knowledge, and partnerships. Axis 1 fosters inclusive governance and coordinated leadership, integrating soil health into national and cross-sectoral policy agendas. Axis 2 advances agroecological and nature-based practices - such as agroforestry, conservation agriculture, and composting - that regenerate soil structure, fertility, and biodiversity. Axis 3 strengthens knowledge systems and monitoring tools, including Soil Information Systems, to guide context-specific interventions using both scientific and Indigenous Knowledge. Axis 4 aligns the GGWI with existing initiatives such as the Soil Initiative for Africa, the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health, WOCAT, and Global Soil Partnership - to accelerate action and amplify impact.

By positioning soil health as a measurable and actionable entry point, the GGWI provides a platform for harmonising frameworks, reporting obligations, and investments. This policy brief highlights the urgent need to prioritise soil health in national strategies, bridge fragmented efforts, and support integrated solutions that benefit smallholder farmers, ecosystems, and broader development outcomes across Africa’s drylands.