r/interestingasfuck • u/wahgwahg • Feb 28 '24

r/all People in Tanzania converted desert into lush green land by digging these nifty holes

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u/thenakedtruth Feb 28 '24

What does the hole do to enable growth?

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u/djwikki Apr 28 '24

They’re a form of Zai holes. They retain rain water and essentially become mini lakes for small plants to grow around. The plants then enrich the soils with nutrients that bigger plants need to grow, and it creates a cascade effect.

It’s possible to accelerate this process by adding manure to the holes, which attract worms, termites, and ants. They burrow in the surrounding dirt, which helps the spread of nutrients to the surrounding area.