Communities Lead the Way in Restoring Vital African Basin

A growing restoration movement in the Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin is breathing life back into degraded landscapes — revitalising farms, fisheries, and local livelihoods while strengthening resilience against climate change.

“In the Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin, restoration is helping communities reconnect with their land, water, and livelihoods,” says Gilbert Muvunankiko, Communications Manager for World Resources Institut (WRI) Africa’s Restoration Initiative.

Across Rwanda, Burundi, and the DRC, community-led “Restoration Champions” have already planted 2.6 million trees on steep slopes and fragile soils, transforming farmland and protecting water sources. The wider AFR100 and Restore Local programs aim to restore 100 million hectares of Africa’s land by 2030, with TerraFund financing local projects to scale up their impact. In this basin alone, thousands of farmers are seeing higher yields, better soil fertility, and more secure access to water thanks to reforestation. Each tree planted is not just healing the land but also ensuring food, income, and hope for the nearly five million people who depend on the basin’s natural resources.