Yacouba Sawadogo

Burkinabé farmer who reversed desertification using ancient techniques

Known as The Man Who Stopped the Desert, Yacouba Sawadogo (1946-) transformed barren land in Burkina Faso through zaï farming. In the 1980s Sahel drought, he revived traditional pit planting:

• Digging 20-30cm holes to retain rainwater
• Adding manure to attract termites that aerate soil
• Planting drought-resistant trees alongside crops

Despite being mocked as crazy Yacouba, his methods:

His TED Talk inspired global agroforestry. The 2010 documentary The Man Who Stopped the Desert showcased how he:

Made the impossible possible - greening the desert through indigenous wisdom

In 2020, he became the first African to win the Right Livelihood Award. His forest now contains 96 plant species, proving traditional knowledge can combat climate change.