Located adjacent to Mao in Chad, this oasis enables farmers to cultivate date palms and various crops in the surrounding fields. However, the ongoing rise in temperatures from climate change poses significant risks to these vital oases and the communities and wildlife reliant on them.

This compelling image is part of a series captured by photographer Tommy Trenchard, whose photo essay titled “Saving an Oasis in the Sahara Desert” explores the alarming disappearance of these fragile ecosystems. As temperatures escalate, vegetation surrounding the oasis diminishes, and sand dunes encroach. To combat this, farmers in villages like Caou, also in Chad, are constructing barriers made of palm fronds, as depicted in the image below.

Mao and Kaou are situated in the Sahel region, a semi-arid area that stretches across Africa from Mauritania to Eritrea, just south of the Sahara Desert. In 2007, the African Union initiated the Great Wall initiative aimed at combating desertification in this vulnerable region.

In order to combat this issue, solar-powered water pumps are being installed in areas such as Barkadoursou, located near Mao, Chad, to assist farmers in irrigating their crops. However, the effectiveness of the Great Wall project remains debated, with many questioning its future success.

Despite initiatives such as barrier construction and borehole installations, the future of these oases remains uncertain, particularly as climate models predict further temperature increases.