Growing a forest in the middle of the desert has become reality with Egypt eyeing more of these projects to support its economy and fight environmental and climate changes. 

Egypt has managed to plant trees in the desert using wastewater, as part of plans to preserve the environment, reduce pollution and optimize the use of natural water resources. The Serapium Forest, which has boomed despite the drought and rainfall deficit, consists of 200 hectares (494 acres) of trees planted in Ismailia city, in northeast Egypt. The forest has been a vital project that set a precedent for other projects to reduce water pollution and unemployment. 

The Central Administration of Reforestation affiliated with Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture launched work on the Serapium Forest back in 1998. A documentary was released in 2014 showing the results of this project.

In light of the success of the Serapium Forest project, African countries followed suit. In 2019, 21 African countries, including Egypt, embarked on a tree-planting project, dubbed the Great Green Wall. Preparations for the project had started back in 2007. Twelve African countries, including Egypt, launched the project from Nigeria, and soon nine other countries joined the initiative. It starts from Senegal, in the far west of the continent, to Djibouti, in its east.