Restore Local launches to drive Africa’s community-led land restoration

Restore Local, a bold initiative accelerating locally led land restoration across Africa, has officially launched under the leadership of the World Resources Institute (WRI). The program provides essential support to community organisations and entrepreneurs—known as “restoration champions”—helping them to revive degraded landscapes, enhance community resilience, and advance environmental conservation at scale.

Focusing on Kenya’s Greater Rift Valley, Ghana’s Cocoa Belt, and the Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin across Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Restore Local is working to expand access to finance, strengthen technical capacity, secure policy reforms, and improve impact monitoring. Dr. Susan Chomba, Director of Vital Landscapes at WRI, noted that community groups are at the heart of restoration efforts, but need stronger partnerships and resources to achieve transformative impact.

Building on programs launched in January 2023, Restore Local has already delivered remarkable results: 21.6 million trees grown, 50,000 hectares of degraded land restored, and over 62,000 jobs created. These efforts are boosting biodiversity, strengthening climate resilience, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions while driving local economic growth. The initiative now seeks to expand its reach and rally broader support through partnerships beyond its financing arm, TerraFund.

Success stories include Afrex Gold in Kenya, which increased annual seedling production from 6,000 to 500,000 with Restore Local’s support, and Tropenbos Ghana, which continues to restore degraded areas of the Cocoa Belt. Both highlight how restoration efforts empower local farmers, strengthen communities, and nurture long-term sustainability.

As Africa confronts intensifying climate challenges, Restore Local demonstrates that community-driven restoration is not only possible but essential. By mobilising local groups, investors, and policymakers, the initiative is turning grassroots action into large-scale impact, ensuring Africa’s landscapes are restored and sustained for future generations.