Trees Revitalize Farms and Fisheries in Africa’s Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin

“Mwazukire!"

This is the morning greeting on one of the islands in Lake Kivu, an African Great Lake that runs along the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. It translates to “Have you resurrected?” This is more than a pleasantry; it’s a philosophy reflecting locals’ deep-rooted belief in renewal.

It’s this same spirit of revival that’s transforming the region’s farms and fisheries that over 11 million people rely on for their livelihoods. Through the Restore Local initiative, communities in the Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin region of DRC, Rwanda and Burundi are increasingly restoring their natural landscapes, reversing years of degradation.

“Building a country starts from restoring and protecting the land, because a country’s wealth starts with the health of its soil,” said Faustin Buregeya, a farmer in the Nkanka Sector of Rwanda’s Rusizi District.

Bringing Back the Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin

Years of unsustainable land use have robbed Lake Kivu and the Rusizi River Basin of their vitality. Landscapes stripped of trees and other native vegetation fuel erosion, gumming up nearby waterways with silt that threatens fish populations and hydropower production. Deforestation, along with harmful farming practices like monocropping, have reduced crop yields by sapping soil of its nutrients.

This extensive land degradation prompted governments to take action. Burundi, the DRC and Rwanda pledged to restore a combined 12 million hectares under the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), a country-led effort to bring 100 million hectares of land in Africa into restoration by 2030. While 34 African countries have joined the initiative and developed national restoration plans, a continent dominated by smallholder farmers demands local solutions. Research shows that locally led land restoration projects are 6-20 times more likely to achieve long-term success than those run by larger entities like national governments and international NGOs.

That’s where Restore Local’s TerraFund partnership comes in. Founded by WRI, One Tree Planted and Realize Impact, the initiative has partnered with 40 organizations and enterprises — everyone from faith groups to small businesses and local NGOs — to grow around 7.5 million trees across 21,000 hectares in the Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin region. The Bezos Earth Fund and The Audacious Project provide core financial support.

Over time, these trees will prevent soil erosion and enhance soil fertility. They’ll cool the air and secure more water for crops and livestock. And they’ll help fish populations rebound by preventing siltation and water pollution.

From 2022 to July 2025, Restore Local projects have already planted more than 5 million trees, started restoring 13,000 hectares, and employed more than 18,000 people from local communities in the Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin region.

“Restore Local is a movement driven by the dedication and passion of individuals who believe in the power of collective action and changing lives,” said Wanjira Mathai, WRI’s managing director for Africa and global partnerships. “These unsung heroes possess generations of ecological knowledge, passion and a deep-rooted stake in the future of the land.”

Meet the Restoration Champions of Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin

The work of Restore Local’s “restoration champions” is already producing noticeable benefits — one seedling, one tree, one plot at a time.

For example, in the Lake Kivu basin shared by Rwanda and DRC, erosion strips away fertile topsoil at an alarming rate of 30 tons per hectare every year. This erosion doesn't just damage the land — it threatens food security, water quality and fish populations in the lake.

“Fish lay their eggs at the lake shore,” said Jean De Dieu Mbonigaba, a local fisherman. “When there is erosion, those eggs are destroyed.”

Through TerraFund, groups like BIOCOOR and INES-Ruhengeri, in partnership with Green Cover Initiative, are working with local communities in Rwanda’s Rusizi and Nyamasheke Districts to plant 400,000 new trees and restore 900 hectares of degraded land. They employ practices like agroforestry, where native trees are grown alongside food crops, and assisted natural regeneration, where naturally occurring trees and seedlings are allowed to regrow instead of being cut down. Over time, these trees are expected to reduce erosion and siltation while also increasing crop yields and providing resilience to climate change.

“Most of the people living here depend on fishing,” said Dr. Clemence Idukunda, a project manager with INES-Ruhengeri. “By restoring buffer zones, we are also enhancing the fish production.”

In Burundi, the densely populated western provinces of Bujumbura, Cibitoke and Bubanza are known for their steep mountain slopes and high rainfall. Satellite studies have identified these regions as degradation hotspots, where vegetation health has been declining over time due to poor farming practices and expanding settlements.

Local enterprise Perfect Village Communities (PVC)-Burundi works with farmers to grow 36,000 trees, aiming to restore 300 hectares of the region’s steep hills. Farmers are using regenerative agriculture, where crops work in harmony with nature. They’ve switched from using chemical fertilizers and pesticides to local herbs, while also growing trees alongside their food crops. "Restoring land is not just about healing the earth, said Lionel Kwizera, PVC-Burundi’s agroecology program manager. “It's about restoring hope, dignity and opportunity for our communities."

In nearby Uvira, DRC, Plant With Purpose and Ebenezer Ministry International are restoring degraded farms and watersheds in a region long affected by conflict, unsustainable farming and deforestation. Since 2015, the groups have built a large-scale operation, mobilizing 10,500 families to plant 4.3 million trees. Core to their impact are “purpose groups,” community savings and loan circles that reward farmers for rehabilitating the land. Through TerraFund, Restore Local is helping these groups expand their work across South Kivu Province by growing 200,000 more trees and restoring 800 hectares.

“We’re not just planting trees; we’re planting resilience, restoring soil, and reviving livelihoods,”  said Dieudonne Birori Gaparani, a program manager with Plant with Purpose.

Join the Movement: Land Restoration Starts with You

The stories from Lake Kivu and the Rusizi River Basin show that a restoration movement is growing. It’s powered by local knowledge, community spirit, and a shared belief that restoration is not only possible, but essential.

But to spread across Africa, where 65% of the land is affected by degradation, this endeavor requires robust collaboration and adequate financial and technical support. Restoration champions will need continued backing from governments, the private sector, civil society, communities and funders.

“Landscape restoration is a shared endeavor—our greatest progress comes when we combine our expertise, resources and commitment,” said Peter Ntaganda, WRI’s manager for the Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin Landscape.  “We work hand-in-hand with local communities, governments, and partners to accelerate restoration and achieve lasting impact.”

Discover more stories of African Restoration champions on the Restore Local YouTube channel here.