Large-scale Forest Landscape Restoration in Africa

Land degradation and loss of forests exacerbated by climate change and unsustainable land use practices in Africa threaten primarily the vital ecological functions of land, its productivity, food and water security. Poor resource governance, little access to innovation and resources and unfavorable policies prevent countries from bringing FLR to scale. The project thus aims at increasing the economic, ecological and climate-related benefits from large-scale FLR in the partner countries. The project will provide field support, capacity building and policy advice to restore FLR at ground level, unblock large-scale FLR, leverage resources for FLR, share FLR experiences and monitor FLR results. By establishing new carbon stocks and reducing pressure on existing ones, this project mitigates climate change, increases resilience and protects biodiversity.

Project data

Countries: Cameroon, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda
IKI funding: 23,500,000.00 €
Included preparation phase: 509,162.49 €
Duration: 09/2019 till 06/2025
Status: open
Implementing organisation: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Political Partner: Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Nature Protection – Kazakhstan

Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development (MINEPDD) - Cameroon

Ministry of Environment - Rwanda

Ministry of Environment and Forestry - Kenya

Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife - Cameroon

Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Environment - Malawi
Implementing Partner: African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD)

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) - Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office

The World Bank Group

World Resources Institute (WRI)

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) - Germany
Online: https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/100397.html

https://afr100.org/content/alliance-restoration-forest-landscapes-and-ecosystems-africa-areeca

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State of implementation/results

WRI supported 100 land restoration entrepreneurs to become investment ready via the Land Accelerator program, including 32 companies from the project countries. 20 Malawian restoration entrepreneurs took part in a workshop (27-28/06/22).
The project opened applications for the Malawi Restoration Championship in August 2022.
To accelerate the flow of finance to implementers on the ground, WRI launched TerraFund for AFR100. $3.68 million in grants and loans was disbursed to 18 community projects and 6 enterprises based in the project countries
The project has finalized baseline studies for all four countries as a starting point for the upcoming participative Restoration Plans and following restoration activities.
All project countries have established their National Programme Steering Committees to ensure participatory landscape restoration and alignment with national efforts. The committees consist of representatives from local communities, political partners, restoration contractors, NGOs, watershed management organizations, cooperatives as well as religious or traditional leaders.
An AFR100 Monitoring Working Group (WG) has been convened and is leading work on establishing a monitoring framework for AFR100 and drafting the first “State of AFR100 Implementation Report”. – In February 2022 has been the kick-off of the fourth edition of the Land Accelerator Africa (www.wri.org/…). WRI published an article detailing the financing gaps that entrepreneurs who restore land in Africa are facing (www.wri.org/…). WRI also published a blog in October 2021 outlining the challenges of monitoring restoration in Africa (www.wri.org/…). Malawi
- 25 staff (45% female) were trained to set up 25 Farmer Field Schools (FFS) that registered 782 farmers (525 of whom are female) and identified suitable soil fertility and climate resilient livelihood practices.
- 529 FFS members (366 female) were trained in nursery establishment. Government extension workers and 26 lead farmers were trained on conservation agriculture with trees (CAWT).
- Knowledge sharing and decision-making bodies on landscape level have been established or revamped, including Mpira Catchment Lead Farmer Network, Village Agricultural Committees with over 56% women involvement.
- Roadmap on harmonisation of laws and policies for FLR completed.
Ruanda
- The project focused its activities during the dry season on local participation and ownership schemes in preparation of the upcoming planting season.
- IUCN organized a tree planting event with the contestants of Miss Rwanda 2022 to reach out to young people to address forest related issues.
Cameroon
- An inventory about the existing Sacred Forests (Forets Sacrés) in the selected landscape was made together with the traditional authorities.
- Together with the traditional authorities and the development committees (Comités de Développement) in Babadjou, protection and reforestation measures were planned along the most important water sources and watersheds.
Kenia
- A Community Forest Association (CFA), a Water Resource User Association (WRUA), 2 ward restoration platforms, a County Beekeepers Union and County Natural Resources Network have been established. In May 2022 the ROAM inception workshop took place.
- Capacity building activities comprised two trainings in tree and nursery management, water resource restoration and fodder pasture with 150 participants.