Our
world
An immersive documentary
Making dry land green again
The solution
Our focus is where we can have the most impact: Africa. Our approach is to inspire and empower millions of subsistence farmers to regreen their land. The ripple effects of regreening Africa will benefit nature, biodiversity and people everywhere, and help cool our planet.
Our focus is where we can have the most impact: Africa. Our approach is to inspire and empower millions of subsistence farmers to regreen their land. The ripple effects of regreening Africa will benefit nature, biodiversity and people everywhere, and help cool our planet.
FAQ
How can I support Justdiggit?
There are many ways in which you can take action and make a difference. DIG IN & see what you can do.
Can I volunteer for Justdiggit?
We do not offer volunteer jobs on site as our projects are carried out by the local communities to consolidate commitment to give them ownership over the projects. We pay them for the work they do which results in socio-economic advantages. However, there are many other ways in which you can take action and make a difference. DIG IN & see what you can do.
Can this be done in my country?
If you apply the nature-based solution best suited for the landscape you operate in – then yes! We highly encourage others to start their own regreening projects. Check out our platform Greener.Land for more info.
Earth smiles: how do they work?
We dig half-moon shaped holes called earth smiles. They capture rainwater that will otherwise get washed away over the dry, barren soil – and regreen large areas with vegetation. The earth smiles are actually not meant to hold water for long periods, they just allow the rainwater to collect and penetrate the soil. Without them, rainwater will flow to lower areas and wash away the upper layer of fertile soil.
What is the orientation of the earth smiles?
Earth smiles are dug on slopes, with the ‘closed’ side directing downhills. This way they can capture the rainwater running downhills. They are arranged in alternating patterns so that the line below can catch the runoff coming from above, and so on.
How big are earth smiles?
They’re big! Earth smiles are usually 2,5 meters long and 5 meters wide, which is about the size of an small elephant. 🐘 The earth smiles are about 50 centimetres deep. So no animals are not bothered by this – they can easily walkthrough!
Do earth smiles need to be dug again every few years?
Nope, just once! Earth smiles serve their purpose by capturing rainwater so the seeds present in the soil get the chance to sprout. Once the vegetation has returned, the ecosystems return to the state they were in before the degradation happened.
Why use a shovel - and no machines?
We consciously use shovels instead of machines. We want to make the techniques as accessible as possible for the people carrying out the projects! Additionally, we show other farmers outside our projects that it is super easy to green your land: namely by taking a shovel and digging bunds! Therefore, we inspire farmers outside of our projects to regreen as well.
Who is digging the earth smiles?
Our projects are entirely carried out by locals. This makes them committed and gives them ownership of the project, which ensures sustainability! We pay them for the work they do which results in socio-economic advantages.
We dug over 315 THOUSAND earth smiles
Earth smiles (a.k.a. bunds) are half-moon shaped pits that capture rainwater. They are dug in our project areas located in African countries, in order to capture rainwater that will otherwise get washed away over the dry, barren soil. By digging bunds, a large area can be regreened in a very short amount of time, benefiting biodiversity, nature, people and – eventually our climate.
We brought back 14 MILLION trees in 5 years
We bring back these forgotten tree stumps by using a technique called Treecovery, also known as Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) – or Kisiki Hai in Swahili. This is more effective than planting new trees! By regenerating those trees, we are able to restore the degraded areas and make these areas green and cool again.
Together, we’re faster
Discover how you can help in cooling down the planet.
We are on a mission to regreen Africa in the next 10 years, together with millions of farmers, and together with you. This is the decade of doing. Join us. Dig in. Cool down the planet.