Small-scale farmers in Africa are being given the opportunity to transition to climate-resilient agroforestry.

In the first phase of a financing initiative, loans will be provided to smallholder farmers in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia to begin implementing agroforestry practices, thereby accessing the international carbon removal market.

Agroforestry, which involves planting trees and bushes among traditional crops, is more sustainable and more resilient to climate change than traditional agriculture, according to the Rabo Foundation, the impact funding arm of Netherlands-based Rabo Bank. The foundation is collaborating with NPO FSD Africa on the project, with the Kenya-based FSD providing the financing.

The farmers will be able to monetise the carbon stored in the trees, by selling carbon removal units (CRUs) to corporate off-takers through Rabobank’s ACORN (Agroforestry Carbon removal units for the Organic Restoration of Nature) technology-enabled platform. The proceeds from the CRUs will be used to pay back the loan.

‘We are proud to acknowledge that this programme will contribute to eight out of 17 UN SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals], including those related to poverty reduction, food security, reduction of pollution, economic productivity, resilience, sustainability of forests and capital mobilisation,’ says Mark Napier, CEO of FSD Africa.

2 August 2022
Image: Flickr/CIFOR