The African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100) is a partnership involving African countries, donors, businesses, technical groups, and local communities. Its goal is to restore over 100 million hectares of land in Africa by 2030. This effort aims to improve food security, help reduce poverty, and lessen the effects of climate change in the region. AFR100 is also part of the global Bonn Challenge, which seeks to restore 150 million hectares by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030. As of November 29, 2021, 31 African countries had made commitments covering 127.77% of AFR100’s target.

History

In September 2015, early planning for the initiative took place at the 14th World Forestry Congress in Durban, South Africa. The goal of covering 100 million hectares was approved by a group of experts in the African Union's Department of Rural Development, Environment, and Agriculture in October 2015. The initiative was officially started in December 2015 during the Global Landscapes Forum at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference. African nations and technical partners, including the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the World Resources Institute (WRI), led this effort.

Governance

The organization's main communication center is located with the New Partnership for Africa's Development. It helps partners gain political support, technical help, and funding. It also works to form partnerships, manage knowledge, and track program progress.

It connects with the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) of the African Union. The secretariat also updates the organization's website and newsletter. It communicates with partner countries, donors, and technical groups. It organizes both formal and informal meetings, from those between countries to small groups working on specific topics. The secretariat receives the organization's money and prepares the program's yearly budget for the Management Team to review. New members apply through the Secretariat and are approved by the Management Team.

The Management Team includes the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), the World Bank, and the World Resources Institute (WRI). It helps organize technical partnerships for the program. It holds meetings twice a year and approves the program's yearly budget and new members.

Technical partners who have experience in forest landscape restoration are invited to join the program. They can work in groups to help with the program's goals. Benefits include special access to program data, the chance to test their methods, and possible payment for their work.

Financial partners are chosen based on how much money they give to the program. They receive detailed access to the program's data about development strategies, especially economic and social effects.

Groups are formed to help with technical or implementation issues under the ARF100 Secretariat. These groups mostly work online and are open to all partners, including technical, financial, and government members. They organize themselves after being created.

The AFR partner meeting brings together representatives from all partner groups, countries, donors, media, and other involved groups. It is hosted once a year by a partner country. This meeting is a central place for sharing results, future plans, and knowledge between partners and the public.

This group has members who serve two-year terms. Members are chosen by the Secretariat and approved by the Management Team. They include country representatives, major donors, and financial partners. This group supports the Secretariat by promoting the program, forming partnerships, and offering advice to help the program run effectively.

Strategy

AFR100 follows eight key principles to guide its forest landscape restoration plans.

• Restoration efforts should help the environment and the economy. It is not necessary to return an area to its original natural state, but instead to restore its ability to function in the most helpful way possible. Existing natural areas should stay as they are or be fixed to work naturally.
• Management must consider large areas because the benefits and challenges of restoration can affect local, regional, and even international places.
• Multiple restoration goals and methods should be used together in one area.
• Decisions about restoration should involve groups from all backgrounds, including local communities, businesses, and governments. Long-term organizations should be created to support this work.
• Natural ecosystems should be protected and made strong enough to survive short-term climate changes and long-term effects of global warming. This includes protecting wildlife and supporting economic needs.
• Systems must be created to track progress in forest restoration. This helps determine if changes are needed in the program and improves methods over time.
• National policies must be clear and consistent to avoid conflicts with AFR100 plans and to attract outside investment.
• Forest restoration should be led by national systems to ensure goals are met. Without strong leadership, efforts may not be effective.

Common land use strategies fall into three main types: fully forested land, agricultural land, and protective or buffer lands.

Fully forested land includes managing forests carefully to help them grow. Areas without forests can regrow naturally or with small help to return to a natural state, or they can be managed as forests to grow and use tree products.

Partially forested agricultural land can be used to let soil recover by leaving it unused for a time or by planting trees with crops (agroforestry). Trees can be spaced in ways that provide little shade or more shade for crops.

Buffer areas include two types. Mangrove forests are important for wetlands, supporting wildlife and reducing storm damage. Buffers near steep areas or waterways help prevent erosion and flooding.