尼日尔农民用传统石线技术对抗沙漠化
In the sun-scorched villages of western Niger, farmers are fighting back against the advancing Sahara Desert with a surprisingly simple tool: piles of stones. They arrange these stones in straight lines along the contours of their fields, creating barriers that slow down rainwater runoff. This ancient technique, known as 'stone lines' or 'diguettes en pierres' in French, is quietly transforming degraded land back into fertile farmland.
The science behind the method is straightforward. When heavy rains fall on barren soil, water rushes downhill, carrying precious topsoil with it. The stone lines stop this flow, allowing water to soak into the ground instead of disappearing into gullies. Seeds and organic matter carried by the water also settle behind the stones, gradually rebuilding the soil. Over time, grasses and shrubs reappear, and farmers can plant millet and sorghum again.
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