Growing greener: Restoration and sustainable use of agro-pastoralist systems in open arid landscapes across Southern Africa
The project locations are characterised by a vicious cycle of degrading resources driven by unsustainable agro-pastoral land uses to compensate for deteriorating incomes and livelihoods. The major transformation this project seeks to achieve is to catalyse nature-based land use and market supported systems that align socio-economic development with restoration of semi-arid landscapes and biodiversity thereby combatting desertification at community, national and regional level. It builds on proven good agro-pastoralist practices and traditional knoweldge systems to implement innovative, community-based conservation approaches that drive systemic behavioural change towards resilience and sustainable use of natural resources. Key to transformation is a phased rollout approach to embed learning and ensure effective scale up as it fosters cross-country learning.
- Countries
- Botswana, Madagascar, South Africa, Zambia
- IKI funding
- 20,000,000.00 €
- Duration
- 06/2022 till 09/2029
- Status
- open
- Implementing organisation
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
- Political Partner
-
- Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) - South Africa
- Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MINAE) - Madagascar
- Ministry of Green Economy and Environment - Zambia
- Ministry of Lands and Agriculture (MoLA) - Botswana
- Southern African Development Community (SADC) - Botswana
- Implementing Partner
-
- Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development (CCARDESA)
- Conservation International (CI)
- Peace Parks Foundation
State of implementation/results
- To date, the project has introduced improved rangeland management through Herding for Health (H4H) on more than 121.000 ha of communal rangelands in South Africa and Zambia. Until the end of the project, almost 1 million ha of communal land will be managed under the H4H model.
- Since project start, 494 people were trained in rangeland management (48% women).
- The baseline studies assessing ecological and socio-economic conditions, security, and value chains were revised for South Africa and Zambia during the first half of 2025. Baseline assessments for Madagascar and Botswana will be updated during the second half of 2025.
- The project’s M&E data is now published on the public project dashboard under the CCARDESA homepage: www.knowledgehub.ccardesa.org/…
- CCARDESA has published more than 10 news articles on the project activities on its homepage and shared those through its social media channels. To date ca. 1,500 people have read the articles.
- Madagascar:
- The national project launch took place on 10 April 2025, in Tulear, Atsimo Andrefana, with 54 participants from national and local government, partners and local communities in attendance: www.ccardesa.org/…
- The project works with the UNCCD focal point at the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD) to develop a National Drought Plan.
- South Africa:
- The national project launch took place on 5 August 2025 in Springbok, Northern Cape, bringing together 112 participants. The event provided an important platform for stakeholders to gain a deeper understanding of the project, while raising awareness of its approach and objectives: www.ccardesa.org/…
- Zambia:
- In the wake of the Ramsar COP 15 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, a high-level BMUKN and BfN delegation visited the Simalaha Community Conservancy in July 2025 and engaged with herders, community members, traditional leaders on the H4H model.
- The Zambian Government through its Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries (MFL) has pledged to invest more than 9,000,000 Kwacha (ca. EUR 340,000) in water infrastructure in the Simalaha Community Conservancy. The commitment was made through MFL’s participation in the project steering committee and project visit in June 2025.
- The project also works with the MFL to review the Zambian National Livestock Policy.
- Botswana:
- Botswana successfully spearheads a flagship initiative on rangelands and pastoralism under UNCCD, which seeks to improve financing for projects centered on communal rangeland management. The project is in discussions with Botswana to support UNCCD COP 17 in Mongolia in 2026.
Latest Update:
12/2025
Project relations
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