Fatima Mahamud Ali

Somali environmental activist leading reforestation efforts in desertification-prone regions

Fatima Mahamud Ali (born 1985) is a visionary environmental leader from Somaliland whose work combating desertification has earned international recognition. In 2010 she founded the Green Earth Foundation, which has planted over 5 million trees across the Horn of Africa. Her innovative agroforestry techniques combine traditional knowledge with modern science to create drought-resistant ecosystems. Through partnerships with UN Environment Programme (UNEP), her initiatives have provided sustainable livelihoods for 12,000+ rural families while sequestering 25,000 tons of CO₂ annually. Ali's TED Talk "Growing Forests in the Desert" (2018) inspired global reforestation movements. She currently advises the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100) and lectures at Nairobi University's Sustainability Institute.