PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Land Stewardship & Restoration Program focuses on restoring degraded land while supporting communities as long-term stewards of the environment.

The program integrates tree planting, agroforestry practices, and responsible land management to improve soil health, biodiversity, and land productivity over time. Rather than short-term rehabilitation, the program is designed around sustained care and monitoring, recognizing that land restoration is a long-term commitment.

Implementation is carried out in close coordination with farming communities and local partners to ensure that restoration efforts are practical, locally grounded, and responsibly managed. Community involvement is central to maintaining continuity, accountability, and long-term environmental outcomes.

PROGRAM FOCUS AREAS

This program focuses on land restoration and stewardship through the following components:

Agroforestry and Tree-Based Restoration

The program supports the planting and maintenance of trees—including native species, fruit-bearing trees, and productive varieties—integrated into existing agricultural landscapes. Agroforestry approaches help restore ecological balance while maintaining productive land use.

Soil Health and Land Productivity

Restoration activities prioritize improving soil structure, fertility, and water retention. These practices support long-term land productivity and reduce land degradation, helping ensure that restored areas remain viable for future generations.

Long-Term Stewardship and Care

Participating communities act as long-term stewards of designated land areas. Stewardship responsibilities include ongoing care, maintenance, and monitoring of restored plots to ensure that restoration outcomes are sustained beyond initial planting phases.

Community-Based Implementation and Oversight

Local partners and community organizations support coordination and oversight. This helps align restoration efforts with local priorities while ensuring transparency, shared responsibility, and continuity over time.

WHO THE PROGRAM SERVES

The Land Stewardship & Restoration Program is designed for:

• Farming communities managing agricultural or degraded land

• Land stewards responsible for long-term care of restored areas

• Local partners involved in environmental conservation and land management

• Communities seeking to balance productivity with environmental restoration

SECTOR & IMPACT

Sector Themes

Environmental Restoration

The program contributes to the rehabilitation of degraded land through tree-based restoration and sustainable land management practices.

Agroforestry and Sustainable Land Use

By integrating trees into productive landscapes, the program supports land use models that balance ecological health with community livelihoods.

Community-Based Conservation

Restoration efforts are anchored in community participation, strengthening local ownership and long-term stewardship.

Impact Areas

Improved Land Health and Productivity

Restoration activities help improve soil quality, water retention, and biodiversity, contributing to healthier and more productive land over time.

Long-Term Environmental Stewardship

By placing communities at the center of land care, the program promotes sustained stewardship rather than short-term interventions.

Climate and Ecosystem Benefits

Tree planting and land restoration contribute to ecosystem resilience, including carbon sequestration, habitat recovery, and climate adaptation.

Strengthened Community Capacity

Participation in restoration efforts builds local knowledge and capacity around land management and environmental care.

WHY THIS PROGRAM MATTERS

Land degradation affects both environmental health and the livelihoods of farming communities. Without sustained care, restoration efforts often fail to deliver lasting outcomes.

The Land Stewardship & Restoration Program addresses this challenge by combining ecological restoration with long-term community involvement. By supporting responsible land management and continuous stewardship, the program helps ensure that restored land remains productive, resilient, and beneficial to both people and the environment.

Healthy land underpins food systems, rural livelihoods, and environmental resilience—making long-term stewardship essential.