"The Man Who Stopped the desert is an unmissable film. It is truly inspirational. It is already not just a cult classic, but a bona fida tour de force of environmental film making"
Tony Rollinson, Permaculture Magazine

“Yacouba's story is both incredibly timely and important given the current crisis in many parts of the world with desertification. It is also rare to find a conservation story with such an upbeat and inspirational ending.”
Diana El-Osta, National Geographic Channels International

"Expertly produced, with touches of dry humor and dramatizations that tug at the heart, The Man Who Stopped the Desert entertains as well as informs, and must surely change the attitudes of those who think of Africa as a basket case dependent on foreign aid."
Reel Earth Film Festival, New Zealand

"Highly recommended. The Man Who Stopped the Desert tells the life story of this innovative patriarch. Yacouba's reforestation project and his adaptations of ancient agricultural techniques have transformed the area from a drought-stricken region to a life-giving one. Mark Dodd's documentary is simply good storytelling, but like the deceptively simple zai technique, its implications are profound."
Educational Media Reviews Online

“The Man Who Stopped the Desert is an excellent documentary. It powerfully depicts the struggle and triumph of Yacouba, a man whose contribution to combating desertification is enormous.”
Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary the UN Convention to Combat Desertification

“Mark Dodd's achievement is to inform and inspire in equal measures. Perfectly pitched cinematography and narration by Hugh Quarshie engage beautifully with a moving story of struggle and success.”
Dick Meadows, Producer, BBC

“At last a film we have been waiting for. Not the 'basket case' Africa of HIV headlines and aid relief but a real story about real people to inspire us all. Fabulously filmed with a masterful narration to match.”
Sally-Ann Wilson, Commonwealth Broadcasting Association

"By sharing what he has learned with neighboring farmers, the documentary shows how Yacouba Sawadogo and other innovative local farmers are helping to lead a remarkable environmental transformation in parts of the Sahel."
Voice of America