In Ethiopia’s Rift Valley, Lake Hawassa faces accelerating degradation from deforestation, pollution, erosion and rapid urbanisation – pressures no single actor can address alone. This solution establishes an inclusive multi-stakeholder partnership uniting public authorities, private companies and civil society to protect the lake through coordinated catchment stewardship.
Guided by the Natural Resources Risk and Action Framework (NRAF) developed between 2015 and 2020, partners jointly assessed risks, planned actions and implemented nature-based solutions (NbS).
Key building blocks included:
The partnership is now fully government-managed, and the approach upscaled to federal guidelines for restoring, rehabilitating and protecting surface water bodies all over the country.
In Uruguay, against a backdrop of the loss of habitat critical to biodiversity, the degradation of vulnerable ecosystems and soils due to the intensification and expansion of livestock and agricultural activities, poor grassland management practices, and pollution of water bodies and wetlands, the project aimed to implement actions to strengthen systemic, financial, and institutional capacities for biodiversity conservation and sustainable land management, thereby improving the effectiveness and sustainability of the management of protected areas, associated productive lands, and human well-being. This was achieved through: the establishment of a regulatory, financial, and institutional framework for biodiversity conservation and land degradation neutrality; Implementation of biodiversity and land conservation measures at pilot sites; and Knowledge management, monitoring and evaluation, and learning, to promote dialogue between public and private stakeholders.
In Seychelles, increasing developmental pressures are degrading land, forests and soils leading to a loss of ecosystem services carbon sequestration and the ability to combat climate change. In an effort to reverse these pressures and restore degraded land, the project: ‘A Ridge to Reef Approach for the Integrated Management of Marine, Coastal and Terrestrial Ecosystems’ (Ridge to Reef) has been working with farmers to improve their sustainable land management practices.
Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented in partnership with UNDP, the ‘Ridge to Reef’ approach is an integrated management strategy for marine, coastal, and terrestrial ecosystems, focusing on the connection between land and sea to address environmental degradation.
In particular, the project has been working directly with farmers to improve their sustainable land management practices (SLM). Through direct farmer assistance these farmers have begun to shift their practices to improve ecosystem health and resiliency.
The Agave Restoration Initiative, led by Bat Conservation International, is the world’s first landscape-scale foraging habitat restoration effort for migratory bats.
To offset agave loss and fragmentation across Mexico and the U.S. Southwest, the initiative is creating a climate-resilient, bi-national agave corridor that supports recovery of three pollinating bats, including the endangered Greater (Mexican) long-nosed bat, and rural livelihoods. The initiative unites 100+ partners (communities, Tribes, private landowners, NGOs, government agencies, researchers, and companies) across 14 states.
We envision a connected, community-based agave corridor where thriving bat populations and resilient communities and rural economies reinforce each other. Our goal is to plant 500,000+ agaves and protect, restore, or sustainably manage 300,000+ hectares.
By coordinating across a migratory corridor, the initiative is pioneering a model to transform how we restore keystone plants and corridors for migratory species globally.
LIFE TERRACESCAPE is an innovative approach to restoring traditional terraced landscapes in Mediterranean regions, using them as nature-based solutions for climate adaptation. The project addresses the degradation and abandonment of terraces, which leads to soil erosion, biodiversity loss and increased vulnerability to extreme weather events.
The solution combines physical restoration of dry-stone terraces with sustainable land management practices, strengthening their function as green infrastructure that regulates water flows, prevents erosion and supports biodiversity.
By integrating local knowledge, community engagement and technical expertise, the model enhances landscape resilience while supporting rural livelihoods. It demonstrates how restoring cultural landscapes can deliver environmental, social and economic benefits, and offers a replicable approach for climate adaptation across Mediterranean mountainous and island regions.
LIFE Olivares Vivos is an innovative agri-environmental model that integrates biodiversity conservation into olive grove management in the Mediterranean. Developed under the EU LIFE programme, it addresses biodiversity loss driven by intensive agricultural practices by promoting restoration measures within productive landscapes.
The solution combines habitat restoration, scientific biodiversity monitoring and a certification scheme that rewards farmers for measurable biodiversity gains. Through tailored farm advisory support, olive producers adopt practices such as vegetation cover recovery, habitat creation and reduced chemical inputs.
The model generates both environmental and economic benefits by improving ecosystem health while enhancing the market value of olive oil through biodiversity-based branding. It has demonstrated measurable increases in species richness and ecosystem functions, and offers a highly replicable approach for sustainable agriculture across Mediterranean regions.
The GEF7 project has developed an integrated model for sustainable management that combines the accelerated formalization of community forests, participatory CLIP mapping (Free, Informed, and Prior Consent), the strengthening of local governance, and the participatory structuring of value chains for non-timber forest products (NTFPs), fisheries, and ecotourism. This approach has helped improve territorial governance, diversify livelihoods, reduce pressure on natural resources, and prepare several community forests for FSC pre-certification.
As the document highlights: “ The GEF7 project has established an integrated model of local economic development based on the accelerated formalization of community forests across a 91,779 km² forest landscape, with a direct impact on 30,000 people and 336,219 indirect beneficiaries…”.
CLIP is a right and a process that ensures that communities affected by a project: (i) are consulted freely, without pressure or manipulation; (ii) are informed
Gadaa Eco Builder is a game platform that teaches the UNESCO‑recognised Oromo Gadaa system through interactive play, while funding real‑world reforestation in Ethiopia. A Telegram‑based survival mode (already built) lets players face wolves (metaphors for climate disasters), plant trees, build roads, and progress through Gadaa stages – learning by doing. A creative mode (in development) will include Haadha Siinqee rituals, Odaa tree elections, and gudifachaa (adoption). Every in‑game action generates points that become real trees planted on degraded roadside land in Oromia. Land has been cleared by hand, community members are engaged, and trees are growing. The project was published by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) on PreventionWeb. A Gadaa elder conducts quarterly audits. The model is designed to scale across Ethiopia and beyond
In Nepal, where smallholder farmers face land degradation, limited market access, and vulnerability to climate change, the Setidevi Cooperative— a forest and farm producer organization—promotes agroforestry as a solution to build resilience and improve livelihoods. Across 400 hectares, it has supported the adoption of diversified agroforestry systems, including silvoarable, agrosilvopastoral, horticultural, and home gardens. To implement this, the cooperative distributes high-quality seeds, offers technical guidance, and runs demonstration farms. It also addresses barriers like unclear land tenure and limited credit access, while strengthening farmer networks through cooperative organization, financial incentives, and peer-to-peer learning. By aggregating produce and connecting farmers to regional markets for milk, fruits, and vegetables, Setidevi fosters enterprise development. Ongoing training in land management and pest control helps sustain the system’s uptake and long-term benefits.
MVIWAMA is a network of 399 farmer and pastoralist groups in Manyara Region, Northern Tanzania, with over 9,300 members—more than half of them women. In Mbulu District, MVIWAMA supports the expansion of agroforestry through tree nurseries, demonstration farms, farmer exchanges, and training in sustainable land use. It promotes value addition and marketing of garlic, honey, and seedlings to strengthen livelihoods. The approach addresses land degradation, deforestation, and low farm productivity by building local knowledge and restoring tree cover on cropland. Women and youths play leading roles in agroforestry expansion, enterprise activities, and food security. By combining environmental restoration with income generation, the solution helps communities adapt to climate change impacts and improve the sustainability of farming systems.
The Union of Peasant and Indigenous Organizations of Cotacachi (UNORCAC) in Cotacachi, Ecuador, is restoring traditional agrobiodiversity and food systems through seed fairs, community seed banks, agroecological farming, and traditional knowledge transfer. Operating across four agroecological zones, over 45 grassroots groups—including women’s associations—are conserving native crops, strengthening food sovereignty, and revitalizing biocultural heritage. Challenges addressed include genetic erosion, land degradation, and malnutrition. Key results include the revitalization of chakra systems—traditional Indigenous farming plots integrating crops, animals, and medicinal plants—and value-added enterprises like Sumak Mikuy, which produces dried native fruits, and Sara Mama, which makes the ancestral maize-based drink Chicha de Jora. Women farmers lead intergenerational learning and community-based solutions for sustainable livelihoods.
The Ombombo Mobile Classroom is an innovative education solution developed by EduVentures to expand access to quality learning in remote and underserved communities. By bringing education directly to learners through a mobile, flexible classroom model, the solution overcomes barriers such as distance, poverty, climate stress, and limited infrastructure. Learning activities are delivered within community settings using context-relevant materials and participatory teaching approaches.
The solution addresses challenges including low literacy levels, and lack of educational resources in rural and drought-affected regions. By providing learner-centered education, skills training, and environmental awareness programs, the Ombombo Mobile Classroom strengthens local capacity and inclusion. Positive results include increased access to education, improved learner engagement, and stronger community ownership of learning, contributing to more resilient and adaptive education systems.
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