Building Resilience Through Community Engagement

As the next planting season approaches, we’re reminded that planting trees is about more than restoring the environment it’s about strengthening the communities who live in it. This year, we’re preparing to plant 10,000 trees, and at the heart of this effort is the belief that lasting change starts with meaningful engagement.

Meeting with Alh Abba Isa Mustapha, District Head of Namtari

Over the past few weeks, our team has been on the ground meeting with community leaders, youth, government officials, and farmers. These conversations are helpful in shaping our plans and ensuring the project reflects local needs and realities. By involving those who live closest to the land, we’re not just planting trees we’re shared cultivating a sense of shred responsibilty. Whether it's selecting the right tree species or organizing caretaking roles, these collaborations ensure that the trees we plant stand a better chance of survival and long-term impact.

Site visit to Daware Integrated Youth Farm

Engaging with farmers has also opened up vital conversations about current land use practices. Many of the methods being used today, while well-intentioned and rooted in tradition, are proving to be unsustainable in the face of climate change and increasing soil degradation. Together, we've discussed the potential of introducing regenerative practices such as Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), Earth Smiles, and other holistic approaches to land restoration. These ideas have been met with curiosity and cautious optimism, and it's clear that to make meaningful shifts, we will need to collaborate with global and local experts who are already implementing such practices successfully.

Consultations with farming communities around Yola South, Adamawa

We’ve also taken the time to revisit communities involved in our previous planting initiatives. The insights shared by past beneficiaries have helped us identify what worked well and where we can improve. Their experiences have guided us in fine-tuning everything from planting techniques to follow-up care and youth engagement. For instance, we discovered that projects with active youth participation had better outcomes, which is why we’re making sure young people are even more involved this season. Feedback from local farmers has also encouraged us to expand agroforestry efforts, aligning reforestation with food security and livelihoods.

The Neem Tree, a great tool for combating desertification across the Sahel

This season, our goal is not only to increase green cover but also to build stronger, more climate-resilient landscapes places where both people and ecosystems can thrive. By listening, learning, and planning together, we’re creating more than a planting program. We’re laying the groundwork for long-term environmental and social resilience.

Thank you to everyone who has opened their doors, shared their knowledge, and pledged their support. We look forward to growing this vision together, one tree and one community at a time.