Deadline: 31-Jul-25
If you are working on an innovation that transforms restored land into a source of rural prosperity, and your efforts are active within the Great Green Wall region, this is your opportunity to showcase your work and scale your impact.
Across the Sahel and countries involved in the Great Green Wall initiative, transformative practices such as Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), smart grazing techniques, and sustainable land restoration are revitalizing drylands.
These methods are not only regenerating ecosystems but also unlocking new economic possibilities for communities. What was once degraded land is now becoming a foundation for vibrant businesses that benefit both people and nature.
This call for innovations is designed to support and accelerate the most promising land-based enterprises. Those selected will receive meaningful recognition, increased visibility, and tailored technical support to strengthen their initiatives.
In addition, financial assistance will be provided through the K4GGWA Innovation Facility to help scale up these efforts. The goal is to build viable, impactful businesses rooted in land restoration that generate real value for rural communities and contribute to sustainable livelihoods across the region.
The program seeks entrepreneurs who are already operating or testing businesses directly tied to land restoration. Ideal candidates will have more than just ideas—they will have tangible initiatives already underway.
Their work should be clearly aligned with the goals of restoring land, creating economic opportunities for rural populations, and demonstrating the potential to expand their model across broader regions.
This opportunity is specifically open to individuals and teams based in one of the 11 Great Green Wall countries: Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti.
Applicants who are still in the idea phase, or whose activities are limited to tree planting, retail expansion, or general NGO operations, are not eligible for this call. The focus is on scalable, innovative, and land-based ventures that are already showing promise and are ready to grow.
This is a moment to champion business models that are deeply connected to the land and to the future of communities across Africa’s drylands. If your work meets these criteria, now is the time to step forward and be part of a movement turning restoration into prosperity.
For more information, visit CIFOR-ICRAF.