The President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has called on citizens to get actively involved in the defence of the environment and the country's forest heritage. During the Council of Ministers meeting on 16 July, the head of state announced that a major national reforestation day would be held on 3 August.
The initiative, under the slogan "Reforestation, food sovereignty and sustainable territorial development", seeks to promote a tree culture as a key element for the country's economic and ecological development. The government wants to make this day an annual event that mobilises both institutions and local communities.
The baobab and the manguier have been designated symbolic trees for this first edition. The choice is not accidental: both species represent not only part of Senegal's natural heritage, but also a source of life, shade and food in many rural regions.
Among the measures announced is the creation of a national programme to raise awareness and support for replanting, with the active participation of young people, schools, local administrations and private sector actors. The aim is to halt the advance of deforestation and restore degraded ecosystems.
The day on 3 August is also part of the pan-African Great Green Wall project, to which Senegal has been contributing for years. The strategy aims to combat desertification in the Sahel by reclaiming millions of hectares of dry land.
With this new impetus, the Senegalese government aims to consolidate its environmental policy and lay the foundations for a development model that is more resilient, sustainable and respectful of the country's natural resources.
Source: lanouvelletribune.info; allafrica.com