Justdiggit
Climate Transformation Fund • Tanzania
Farmers re-greening the planet
Justdiggit together with their main partner in Tanzania - LEAD Foundation is on a mission to regreen Africa through promoting Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) or Kisiki Hai method, a simple but very effective natural method to grow the remaining tree stumps into large mature trees. Trees that are part of this treecovery process grow fast because farmers select, prune, mark and protect trunks with an established root system of older trees that are still alive. Once mature, these trees contribute to more water remaining in the ground and create shade for plants to grow, increasing agricultural productivity. This project responds to the primary drivers of deforestation in The Singida region, which along with other regions in central Tanzania, has faced environmental degradation due to deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices, and climate change. This has led to reduced biodiversity, soil erosion, and declining agricultural productivity, negatively impacting the livelihoods of local communities.
Nature protection and restoration
Protecting and restoring nature is of paramount importance for addressing climate change. Deforestation and forest degradation result in substantial carbon emissions as forests are destroyed. Preserving the carbon stored in existing ecosystems and restoring carbon to areas that have lost it are critical steps in mitigating climate change. These actions not only help reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also have significant co-benefits for both human societies and biodiversity.
Farmer managed natural regeneration (FMNR)
Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) is an agricultural technique that focuses on the regeneration and management of trees and shrubs from felled tree stumps, sprouting root systems, or seeds. FMNR is primarily used to restore degraded lands, increase tree cover, enhance biodiversity, and improve agricultural yields. It is cost-effective and easily adaptable, relying on the knowledge and skills of local farmers.
Nature protection and restoration
Namibia
PyroCCS pioneers sustainable industrial biochar carbon removal in the Global South, deploying its own low-cost, robust, pyrolysis systems powered by renewable energy and backed by a digital measurement and reporting solution. These plants efficiently convert invasive acacia bushes in Namibia, a significant threat to the savanna ecosystem, into high-quality biochar, while providing critical employment in regions with high youth unemployment rates. PyroCCS's scalable technology, which they are also offering as a solution to other project developers, not only captures carbon but also supports local agricultural and environmental recovery as well as food security.
Nature protection and restoration
South Africa
CHAI will work on the high impact project of transitioning a portfolio of hospitals in South Africa's Western Cape Province to renewable energy. This could be a high impact measure that is currently not occurring due to the limited capacity of the department of health and because of bureaucratic hurdles to innovative financial and energy contracts. The project has the potential to reduce emissions by hundreds of thousands of tons, and leverages CHAI's extensive experience in health sector procurement and innovative finance.
Nature protection and restoration
Tanzania
This project develops a mobile app for regreening techniques like Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR). The app delivers real-time, location-specific advice directly to farmers' phones. This approach reduces intervention costs by eliminating the need for in-person visits to every location. We already support Justdiggit’s regular work since 2021, and now added this project because it builds on proven FMNR methods, increasing cost-efficiency and potential for rapid scaling in dry landscapes.