Niger Restores 12.4 Million Acres of Land Without Planting a Single New Tree, 200 Million Trees Regrow

NIAMEY: Niger has successfully restored nearly 12.4 million acres of degraded land without carrying out large-scale conventional tree planting, with an estimated 200 million trees regrowing naturally as a result of the initiative.

According to The Optimist Daily, the achievement was made possible by protecting the living root systems of trees already present beneath the soil and allowing them to regenerate naturally. The restored land has benefited an estimated 2.5 million people.

The approach, known as Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), focuses on restoring existing trees and shrubs rather than planting new saplings. Farmers protect naturally regenerating shoots, select the strongest stems and prune excess growth to encourage healthy development.

The practice gained momentum in Niger in the 1980s after Australian agricultural specialist Tony Rinaudo observed that tree roots remained alive beneath seemingly barren land. He found that with proper protection and management, these underground root systems could regenerate and produce new trees.

Under FMNR, farmers select strong shoots emerging from existing root systems, remove competing growth and protect the regenerating trees from livestock and other threats. The approach can help reduce soil erosion, retain moisture, improve crop yields and provide communities with valuable resources such as firewood and fodder.

Niger’s experience is particularly significant for dry and semi-arid regions where conventionally planted saplings often struggle to survive. Restoring existing root systems can provide a relatively low-cost and sustainable alternative to conventional reforestation.

The Niger experience is increasingly viewed as an important example of large-scale land restoration in Africa. It demonstrates how working with existing natural resources and local communities can help address land degradation, food security and climate-related challenges.