Regreening Africa: Building on Success, Growing Sustainable Futures

Across the drylands of Africa, communities are bringing life back to the land. Trees are returning, soil is improving, and livelihoods are strengthening. This is the impact of Regreening Africa, a major initiative funded by the European Union, and with World Vision as one of the main implementing partners. 

An EU flagship project making a real difference 

Regreening Africa began with a bold ambition: to restore degraded land and improve the livelihoods of small-holder farmers across the Sahel and East Africa, one of the world's most vulnerable areas to climate change and desertification. During its first phase, the project has supported more than half a million households to adopt simple, effective land restoration practices on over 350,000 hectares of land. 

Regreening Africa aims to improve livelihoods and build resilient food systems, by working closely with vulnerable communities on agroforestry activities. The results speak for themselves: farms and communities are seeing increased tree density and diversity, higher harvest yields, and are becoming more resilient to climate shocks. Beyond environmental and economic gains, the initiative also strengthens local governance and promotes greater inclusion of women and young people in natural resource management. 

World Vision: A trusted partner on the ground 

World Vision is proud to be a core implementing partner of Regreening Africa. As an organisation deeply rooted in the communities we serve, we bring decades of experience working alongside farmers, local leaders, and governments. 

In countries like Ethiopia, Rwanda, Ghana, and Senegal, our teams have worked hand-in-hand with local communities to encourage farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR). This method, championed by World Vision, is a simple, low-cost technique of restoring degraded land by encouraging the natural regrowth of trees and shrubs. Integrated into crops and grazing pastures, these naturally regenerated trees help restore soil structure and fertility, inhibit erosion and soil moisture evaporation, rehabilitate springs and the water table, and increase biodiversity. Regreening Africa is thereby fully part of World Vision’s FMNR scale-up initiative, which empowers communities to adopt FMNR at scale, delivering long-term environmental and livelihood benefits. 

Our role has been not just technical, but relational – ensuring that the project objectives listen to local voices, builds trust, and empowers communities to own their regreening journey. 

Regreening Africa II: a new chapter begins 

The achievements of Regreening Africa so far are just the beginning. With continued funding from the European Union, the second phase of the project is now underway. 

From 2025 till 2029, Regreening Africa II will deepen and expand what’s already working – scaling up proven approaches, strengthening local systems, and linking restoration efforts to markets and policies. Contributing to the ambitions of the Great Green Wall (GGW) Initiative1, Africa’s flagship land restoration programme spanning 11 countries across the Sahel, this next phase will be critical to meeting wider environmental and development goals, including the EU’s commitment to land restoration and climate action. 

For continuous success, it is essential that the European Union not only continues to invest financially but also champions strong ownership of regreening efforts of the 11 countries involved in the GGW initiative. Strengthening institutional capacities and enabling national leadership will be critical to achieving sustainable, systemic impact. 

Regreening Africa II will also harness synergies with initiatives such as the Knowledge for the Great Green Wall (K4GGWA)2 and its vibrant Community of Practice (CoP)3 – platforms that foster learning, innovation, and shared action across the region. World Vision will actively contribute to and benefit from these efforts, ensuring that on-the-ground experience informs policy and that restoration efforts are informed by best practice and evidence. 

A shared vision for sustainable futures 

As we move into this new chapter, World Vision remains committed to driving impact on the ground. We’ll continue to work with communities, governments, and partners to ensure that regreening delivers lasting change for people and the planet. 

Regreening Africa is not only about trees. It’s about people who depend on their land for food, income, and dignity. It is showing that, with the right support, communities can reverse land degradation and build a better future. Together, we’re not just planting trees. We’re growing more sustainable futures for vulnerable communities. 

Lisa Nowag, EU Partnerships Specialist