Across Africa, communities are restoring degraded landscapes, creating jobs and strengthening local economies. With new investments and a deepening commitment to grassroots leadership, the second phase of the Regreening Africa and Knowledge for Great Green Wall Action (K4GGWA) programmes is scaling up tested approaches to sustainable land management—offering pathways to more secure livelihoods, climate resilience and social stability.
Momentum is growing in the wake of the UNCCD’s COP16 in Riyadh, where political and environmental leaders signalled a clear intent: African nations are serious about scaling restoration.
That transformation begins on the ground. In Ethiopia, Mamitu Kumbi turned a degraded plot into a thriving orchard, helping to secure her family’s future. In Ghana, Emmanuel Lag combined tree farming with community savings schemes to amplify the reach of regreening efforts. In Mali, Djelika Malle is using new skills to raise her farm’s productivity while advancing women’s empowerment in her village.
Backed by an additional €15 million from the European Commission, Regreening Africa is now aiming to restore 5 million hectares by 2030, expanding on the 350,000 hectares improved between 2017 and 2023. “Regreening Africa exemplifies the collaboration needed to restore our planet while empowering frontline communities,” said European Union(EU) Commissioner Jozef Síkela. Already, more than 65% of households involved in the programme have adopted restoration practices, helping earn it recognition as a UN World Restoration Flagship.
“The success lies in local leadership,” said Christine Magaju, a research associate at the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF). “Tools like the Regreening Africa App allow farmers to share real-time data, make informed decisions and track changes on their land.”
Meanwhile, K4GGWA is nurturing grassroots innovation in the Sahel and Horn of Africa, helping turn modest ideas into scalable solutions. At COP16, the programme showcased 10 Sahelian innovations—from biodegradable nursery bags to locally made wildfire prevention tools—showing that homegrown ingenuity can solve challenges both major—and stylish! In Niger, Mariama Daouda Illiassou is crafting eco-conscious handbags from local plants, while Josef Garvi’s Sahara Sahel Foods has introduced wild-harvested products into everything from school meals to fine dining. In Mali, Aïssata Diakité’s Zabbaan Institute is accelerating women-led agribusinesses, with K4GGWA providing support to scale her work.
Through its Innovation Facility, K4GGWA is inviting new applications from entrepreneurs with ideas to advance sustainability across the 11 countries of the Great Green Wall. The most recent call for proposals just closed, with the next round set to open in June 2025.
Earlier this year, Regreening Africa convened stakeholders in Tamale, Ghana, to refine its strategy. Discussions centred on strengthening data-driven planning, expanding community engagement and ensuring that restoration is both resilient and scalable. “This isn’t just about planting trees,” said Edward Akunyagra of Catholic Relief Services. “It’s about planting hope and nurturing a sustainable future.”
K4GGWA is also supporting civil society organisations in 18 countries to promote better environmental governance and smarter policies—offering technical assistance and funding for selected initiatives.
With rising ambition and strong community leadership, Africa’s restoration movement is demonstrating that large-scale regreening is not only possible—it’s already underway and gathering momentum.
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