The Tree-Growing Movement Restoring Africa’s Vital Landscapes | Wanjira Mathai | TED | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

In this content, the speaker introduces remarkable women who are restoration champions, shares their initiatives in Kenya, and emphasizes the importance of nature-based restoration for poverty reduction and climate change mitigation in Africa.

Key Insights

• 🌳 The women of Exotic EPZ in Nairobi are restoration champions, utilizing nature to reduce poverty, re-green Africa, and establish partnerships with 9,000 farmers to catalyze a tree-growing movement.
• 🌱 The women of Maragua are using bamboo for entrepreneurship, restoration, and firewood, demonstrating the potential of nature-based solutions in Africa.
• 🌍 The AFR100 Movement aims to restore 100 million hectares of land by 2030 in Africa, where 60% of soils are degraded. This initiative has the potential to restore 750 million hectares, equal to the size of Australia.
• 🌱 Restoration breaks the cycle of degradation and has a dual impact on climate mitigation and cushioning communities against the worst impacts of climate change.
• 💼 The World Resources Institute collaborates closely with AFR100 to raise resources, establish policies, and provide platforms and training to support restoration champions in scaling restoration in Africa.
• 🍃 Wanjira Mathai, daughter of the founder of the Green Belt Movement, shares her personal connection to trees and the urgent need for restoration to reverse the accelerating degradation process in Africa.
• 🌳 The Green Belt Movement, led by 5,000 women, has planted 50 million trees and restored the Aberdare Forest, demonstrating the transformative power of locally-led initiatives.
• 💰 Initiatives like AFR100 are not only economical and transformative but also make financial sense, delivering long-term success, economic benefits, and environmental benefits 20 times more likely compared to other approaches.
• 🌍 The re-greening of the African continent is not only possible but vital, as nature is our life support system. We have the opportunity to be the restoration generation and reverse the current trend of environmental destruction.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: Who are the three remarkable women introduced in the video?

The three remarkable women introduced in the video are Jane Maigua, Charity Wangui, and Loise Maina.

Q: What is the company started by these women?

The women started a company named Exotic EPZ.

Q: What is the goal of Exotic EPZ?

The goal of Exotic EPZ is to purchase macadamia nuts from farmers, process them, and sell them around the world.

Q: How many farmers are currently in partnership with Exotic EPZ?

Exotic EPZ is currently in partnership with 9,000 farmers across Kenya.

Q: What is the focus of the women of Maragua?

The women of Maragua are focusing on planting and utilizing bamboo for entrepreneurship, restoration, and firewood in their communities.

Q: What is the AFR100 Movement?

The AFR100 Movement is an Africa-wide initiative aiming to restore 100 million hectares of land by 2030.

Q: What is the role of the World Resources Institute in the AFR100 Movement?

The World Resources Institute is working closely with the AFR100 Movement to help raise resources for restoration, establish sound policies for incentivizing restoration, and provide platforms and training for restoration champions.

Q: How does restoration break the cycle of degradation?

Restoration breaks the cycle of degradation by mitigating climate change and helping communities deal with its worst impacts. It also helps in reducing poverty and securing livelihoods.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Three remarkable women, Jane Maigua, Charity Wangui, and Loise Maina, started Exotic EPZ, a company that processes and sells macadamia nuts, partnering with 9,000 farmers in Nairobi to promote re-greening and reduce poverty.

• Another group of women in Maragua are using bamboo for entrepreneurship, restoration, and firewood, contributing to the AFR100 movement, which aims to restore 100 million hectares of land in Africa by 2030.

• Restoration champions like these women are using nature to combat climate change, reduce poverty, and secure livelihoods, with the potential to restore 750 million hectares of land in Africa, equal to the size of Australia.