Youth Driving the Regreening of Africa: A Call to Action for Ecosystem Restoration

A bold new vision for restoring Africa's rapidly degrading landscapes is taking shape, driven by the resilience and innovation of young leaders across the continent. The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) has unveiled its latest report, Rooted in Restoration: Youth-led Transformative Change for Regreening Africa, at the 16th session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16).

The report presents an urgent call to action as deforestation, agricultural expansion, and the climate crisis accelerate the degradation of Africa’s ecosystems, threatening the well-being, livelihoods, and resilience of millions. It emphasizes that the solutions to these challenges must come from within Africa itself—anchored in the knowledge and leadership of youth, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities

“Africa is the youngest continent. Youth are already achieving incredible progress in ecosystem restoration; we must provide the opportunities they need to continue,” said Nancy Barisoa, a co-author of the report and part of the GLF Youth Team.

Local Knowledge, Global Solutions

The report underscores the need for bottom-up approaches that respect and integrate local knowledge and cultural values. Foreign-led restoration efforts often falter when disconnected from the realities of the landscapes and people they aim to support.

Amos Amanubo, GLF Africa Regional Coordinator, highlighted the risks of neglecting local insights: “Community and youth engagement should be seen as a resource because it can be a risk if it is not well embedded in restoration approaches.”

Transformative Change: Key Takeaways

To empower Africa’s youth as champions of restoration, the report offers several actionable recommendations:

• Flexible Financing Models: Funders and policymakers must collaborate with youth leaders to create accessible funding mechanisms that enable independent, community-led restoration projects.
• Inclusive Policymaking: Governments must ensure meaningful representation of youth, women, and marginalized groups in policy and decision-making processes.
• Livelihood Integration: Restoration efforts should link to economic opportunities, particularly for young people in rural and degraded areas.
• Capacity Building: Organizations must invest in training programs to equip youth with the skills needed for effective restoration work.
• Culturally Appropriate Communication: International actors should use inclusive platforms and language to co-create restoration narratives rooted in local realities.

Inspiring Action Across Africa

The report features successful youth-led initiatives, such as the Restoration Stewards program, which spotlights exemplary young leaders. However, it also challenges policymakers and organizations to move beyond symbolic gestures and address systemic barriers hindering youth leadership in regreening efforts.

Claudine Kamanzi, a 2024 Dryland Restoration Steward and founder of Forest4Life, emphasized the need for mentorship and sustainable funding: “We need to strengthen youth leadership and better integrate scientific and traditional knowledge.”

A Green Future for Africa

The GLF report serves as a blueprint for action, addressing policy gaps, financial constraints, and capacity challenges. It calls on scientists, educators, community leaders, and policymakers to rally behind Africa’s youth and support their vision for a greener, more sustainable future.

Through Regreening Africa, the report’s insights will be translated into in-country dialogues, sparking collaborative efforts to ensure that restoration is not just a fleeting initiative but a long-term pathway to resilience and prosperity.

As Africa’s young leaders take center stage, the message is clear: the continent’s future is rooted in restoration, and the time to act is now.