Building Vital Landscapes for Sustainable and Resilient Growth in Africa

Nearly 3 million hectares of forests are lost in Africa every year. Of Africa’s land, 65% is affected by degradation, and 3% of GDP is lost annually from soil and nutrient depletion on cropland. At the same time, about 705 of the continent’s population depends on agriculture.

We aim to achieve concrete and measurable outcomes that contribute to impacts on forest conservation and landscape restoration, food security and sustainable land use, and improved land governance. WRI Africa provides highquality data and analyses and partners with entrepreneurs, policymakers and community organizations to accelerate the transformation of African landscapes.

Our vision is to shift Africa’s food, land and water system to meet the needs of all people while protecting nature and halting climate change.

• By 2027, 75,000 smallholder farmers will equitably reduce food loss and waste by 25%.
• By 2027, 20 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will equitably reduce food loss and waste by 25%.
• By 2027, five of farm-gate-facing companies equitably reduce food loss and waste by 25%.
• By 2027, 20 million hectares of degraded land will be under restoration to increase climate security, habitat, food and water security.
• By 2027, 35 million trees will be planted across three landscapes: Greater Rift Valley, Ruzizi Basin and the Ghana cocoa belt.

Our approach is to:

• Produce more food on the same or less land while minimizing environmental impacts. We work to increase agricultural yields, reduce water stress and safeguard ocean health through better farming, fishing and resource management.
• Protect remaining natural ecosystems on land and in the ocean. We monitor forest loss and other threats, map and set strategies to alleviate water risks, help companies rid their supply chains of deforestation, increase finance for nature-based solutions and empower Indigenous Peoples to secure their ancestral territories.
• Shift consumption patterns and reduce food loss and waste. We work with companies and governments to measure and cut their waste, while employing behavioral science and partnerships to help consumers adopt lower-carbon diets.
• Restore degraded and deforested lands back into healthy ecosystems. We identify restoration opportunities; provide technical assistance to farmers, entrepreneurs and other local actors; build project pipelines; line up financing and monitor progress.

_{Cover image by Seraphin Nayituriki}