Aicha Ech Iddrissi

Moroccan environmentalist leading desertification reversal in the Sahara

Aicha Ech Iddrissi is a Moroccan environmental scientist and founder of the Green Arid Foundation, pioneering reforestation in the Sahara Desert. Born in 1975, she developed the 'Bio-Brick' method using local acacia species to combat desertification, restoring 12,000 hectares of degraded land by 2020. Her 2012 project Sahara Green Wall created jobs for 300+ nomadic families, blending traditional knowledge with modern agroforestry. Iddrissi's 2015 TED Talk "Growing a Green Wall Across the Sahara" inspired global climate initiatives. She co-authored the Deserts Can Beat Climate Change policy paper, adopted by 12 African nations. In 2018, her team introduced drought-resistant crops boosting yields by 40% in Mali and Niger. Iddrissi's collaboration with NASA's Earth Science Division led to satellite monitoring systems for early drought detection. Her 2021 UN speech highlighted the Sahara's potential as a carbon sink, earning her the UNEP Champion of the Earth award. Over 50,000+ trees planted annually under her initiatives now sequester 2,000 tons of CO2 yearly.