Reforestation in Africa: projects, results and how to take part

Between 2010 and 2020, Africa lost an average of 3.9 million hectares of forest every year. That is more than any other region in the world, and the trend has worsened compared with the previous decade.

Faced with this decline, reforestation in Africa has become a continent-wide undertaking. Gigantic projects such as the Great Green Wall sit alongside thousands of local initiatives led by farmers, villages and NGOs.

But what do these programmes actually achieve on the ground? Which projects work, which ones struggle, and how can an individual contribute usefully from France?

Why has reforestation in Africa become urgent?

A continent losing its forests faster than the others

Globally, deforestation is slowing down. The FAO's FRA 2025 report puts it at 10.9 million hectares per year over the 2015-2025 period, compared with 17.6 million in the 1990s.

Yet Africa remains on the front line. Agricultural expansion, demand for firewood and charcoal, mining and the growth of cities are eating away at the forests of the Congo Basin as well as the wooded savannahs of the Sahel. The Democratic Republic of the Congo lost nearly 590,000 hectares of primary forest in 2024, a record.

Desertification, droughts and food insecurity

In the Sahel, the disappearance of trees is not just a question of landscape. Without plant cover, soils become poorer, water runs off instead of soaking in, and the wind carries away fertile soil. Harvests fall and pastures become scarce.

Rural families, who live from farming and livestock, are the first to be affected. Reforestation there is therefore first and foremost a response to hunger and to the droughts hitting Africa, long before it is a climate tool.

What are the major reforestation projects in Africa?

The Great Green Wall, the Sahel's flagship project

Launched in 2007 by the African Union, the Great Green Wall was originally meant to form an 8,000 km belt of trees from Senegal to Djibouti. The idea has evolved: today it is a mosaic of land restoration projects in 11 countries.

Its 2030 targets are ambitious: restore 100 million hectares of degraded land, sequester 250 million tonnes of CO2 and create 10 million rural jobs. Nearly 20 million hectares are reported to have been restored since the launch, with around 350,000 jobs created.

The AFR100 initiative and national commitments

In parallel, the AFR100 initiative brings African countries together around a shared goal of 100 million hectares of forest landscapes restored by 2030. Each state sets out its own commitments, ranging from planting to protecting existing forests.

Worldwide, 91 countries have reported commitments to the FAO covering up to 190 million hectares of degraded forest to be restored in the coming decades.

Farmer-led regreening, the quiet success story

The most spectacular success did not come from a major programme. In Niger and Burkina Faso, farmers have regreened millions of hectares since the mid-1990s by protecting and pruning the young shoots that naturally grow back from stumps and roots.

This technique, known as farmer-managed natural regeneration, costs little, uses perfectly adapted species and relies on the families who benefit from it directly: wood, fodder, fruit and more fertile soil.

What results for African reforestation?

The picture is mixed. The Great Green Wall has mobilised billions of dollars, but only around 30% of the funding needed to meet its targets. At the current pace, more than 8 million hectares would have to be restored every year until 2030 to keep the promise, a pace never achieved.

Researchers also point to a more general problem: many seedlings die in their first years for lack of water, maintenance or protection from livestock. Planting millions of trees is not enough if nobody looks after them afterwards.

So not all approaches are equal.

How does LIFE reforest with local communities?

Since 2016, LIFE's Sapousse programme has been built on precisely what works: planting “economic” trees entrusted to families, with local partners. More than 250,000 trees have been planted, in Senegal, Mali, Benin, Morocco and Madagascar in Africa, but also in Lebanon, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

In Madagascar, 400 families in the Anosy, Itasy and Bongolava regions each received 500 seedlings: ravintsara, mango, tapia, cinnamon and coffee trees. Fruit and cash-crop trees provide a regular income, which guarantees they are looked after. The trees planted to build resilience in Madagascar illustrate this model in detail.

The plantations come with an economic component: responsible market gardening, sustainable aquaculture, distribution of green manure and training in sustainable agriculture. More than 14,000 people have been supported.

“Thanks to Sapousse, our village has regained its greenery and its prosperity,” says Ibrahima, in Senegal. In Benin, Fatimatou describes the reforestation training as a real opportunity for her community.

This choice is in line with what restoration specialists say: effective reforestation, according to an ecological restoration expert, relies on the right species, in the right place, with the right people. The results of these actions can be found in LIFE's activity reports.

How can you take part in reforestation in Africa from France?

There are several ways to act, from a one-off gesture to a long-term commitment.

Fund trees. This is the most direct way. At LIFE, one tree costs €2 and a bundle of 15 trees €30, with a planting certificate.

Give support over time. A monthly donation helps fund the upkeep of plantations, nurseries and training, which determine whether the trees survive. LIFE's Planet sponsorship starts at €15 a month.

Start a fundraiser. A birthday, a wedding or a company event can become an opportunity to plant a small collective forest.

Keep a clear head. A tree planted in Africa does not “offset” a flight. To understand why, our article on the question planting a tree to offset your carbon footprint: does it work? takes stock.

Can African reforestation succeed?

Yes, provided we change how we measure it. The number of trees planted makes for great headlines, but what really counts is the number of trees still alive ten years later, and the number of families living from them.

The farmer-led regreening of the Sahel proves that millions of hectares can turn green again when communities are the first to benefit. It is the conviction that has guided LIFE since Sapousse was launched.