TRI Sao Tomé-et-Principe

The small island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe is often referred to as the ‘Galapagos of Africa’ due to its rich and diverse forest ecosystems. However, these forests face significant threats from agricultural expansion and overexploitation. The Restoration Initiative (TRI) is working to address these challenges by implementing the first large-scale Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR) programme in the country. By fostering partnerships with local cooperatives and enhancing the capacity of local institutions, TRI is promoting sustainable forest management and creating new value chains that benefit the local economy.  

Restoration and Resurrection 

TRI’s project in São Tomé and Príncipe represents a significant step forward in the country’s restoration efforts. Historically, reforestation and restoration activities were scattered and lacked a cohesive strategy. However, with the introduction of the first large-scale Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR) programme in 2019, the project set forth ambitious goals to restore significant patches of the country’s landscape. The project involves a diverse range of stakeholders, including government agencies, local communities, and the private sector, all working together to guide and promote restoration activities.

Bounds and Strides 

TRI has made remarkable progress in restoring degraded landscapes in  São Tomé and Príncipe. 9,683 hectares of degraded secondary forest and agroforestry land have been brought under restoration, and 23,226 hectares of land have been brought under improved management. In 2023 alone, 91,401 seedlings belonging to 61 different tree species were produced by a network of public and private nurseries. These restoration efforts have significantly enhanced the ecological health of the region, providing essential ecosystem services such as improved soil productivity, increased biodiversity, and enhanced carbon sequestration.… Read the rest

One of the key barriers to expanded and scaled-up implementation of Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) is a lack of financing and credit for businesses, including smallholder farmers, to invest in FLR.  

Many businesses that have seen their farms, wood lots, landholdings and supply chains impacted by land degradation would like to invest in restoration measures that offer a potentially good return. However, access to capital for restoration can be hard for several reasons. These include unfamiliarity with FLR within the banking sector, uncertainty on how to price risk and compensate investors for the multiple benefits, including public benefits, that come from FLR, and lack of even basic lines of credit for many smallholders.

The TRI project in São Tomé e Príncipe (STP) is working to address these barriers. In collaboration with the Association of Banks (ASB), an umbrella institution representing the five largest private banks that operate in the country, and the public Central Bank of STP, the project is helping advance an ambitious program of work encompassing changes to national policy, along with capacity building and development of tailored financial instruments for the financial sector. The goal is to help spur new flows of public and private finance into restoration and sustainable land management in STP. 

In April 2023, two training courses on Green Finance were held under FAO’s TRI project in STP. The activities were foreseen under Cooperation Agreements signed between the FAO STP and the Central Bank of the country, which is also its banking and insurance regulator, as well as the Association of STP Banks, which brings together the four banks operating in the country: BISTP, Afriland, Ecobank and BGFI. … Read the rest