Forest and Landscape Restoration Mechanism

The Restoration Initiative: Landscape Restoration for Ecosystem Functionality and Climate Change Mitigation in the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

©FAO/Marco Pagliani

Project's full title	The Restoration Initiative: Landscape Restoration for Ecosystem Functionality and Climate Change Mitigation in the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
Introduction	The Restoration Initiative (TRI) is a joint effort by FAO, UNEP and IUCN to support Forest and Land Restoration (FLR) in ten countries worldwide. The initiative is implemented in Cameroon, Central African Republic, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Pakistan, São Tomé and Príncipe and the United Republic of Tanzania, aiming to reverse land degradation and enhance ecosystem resilience.
Country	Sao Tome and Principe
Start date	13/12/2018
End date	31/12/2025
Status	Ongoing
Recipient / Target Areas	Sao Tome and Principe
Budget	Total TRI programme budget: USD 255 million (including co-funding) \| Total GEF project grant: USD 4 666 515 million \| Child project budget including co-financing: USD 21 366 515 million
Project Code	GCP/STP/002/GEF
Objective / Goal	The project "Supporting Landscape and Livelihoods Resilience in Sao Tome and Principe" aims to promote the restoration and sustainable management of forest ecosystems in Sao Tome and Principe. This includes reducing carbon emissions from deforestation, reversing forest and soil degradation, and building a more resilient environment through sustainable practices. The goal of the project is to restore at least 12 000 ha by 2025.
Partners	Government of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe. Directorate of Forests and Biodiversity (MADR). Directorate of Environment and Climate Change under the Ministry of Environment (MoE). Cooperatives of organic cocoa, coffee and pepper producers: Cooperativa de Produção e Exportação de Cacau Biológico de São Tomé e Príncipe (CECAB) Cooperativa de Exportação de Cacau de Qualidade (CECAQ-11) Cooperativa de Exportação de Café Biológico (CECAFEB) Cooperativa de Exportação de Pimenta e Baunilha Biológica (CEPIBA) Local NGOs: Association of Friends of the Príncipe Island Biosphere Reserve (AARBIP) Monte Pico Principe Foundation Local authorities: Chamber of Lembá, Regional Government of Principe, National research institutes: Centre for Support to Rural Development (CADR) Centre for Agronomic and Technological Research (CIAT)
Beneficiaries	Four priority landscapes were identified at the start of the project, covering approximately 35 000 ha, or one third of the country. These landscapes include buffer zones of protected areas, shadow forests protecting cash crops (cocoa, coffee and pepper), mangroves, degraded rangelands and savannah on both islands. As of June 2025, 16 518 beneficiaries received support (8 406 women and 8 112 men).
Activities	Policy development and integration A national FLR platform has been established to serve as a multi-stakeholder coordination mechanism, engaging government entities, civil society, academic institutions and the private sector. The platform acts as a catalyst for aligning restoration efforts and guiding policy development. In this context, a national FLR Plan and a Seedling Production Plan have been developed to provide strategic direction for restoration activities nationwide. Implementation of restoration measures The project supports the implementation of restoration interventions across approximately 35 500 hectares on both islands, encompassing degraded agroforestry systems, shadow forests, and other priority landscapes. Restoration efforts are carried out in collaboration with local cooperatives and community groups. Four landscape-level FLR plans have been developed and are under implementation. Around 7 000 hectares of agroforestry systems are under restoration, along with 2 500 hectares of shadow forests involving local stakeholders. Institutional strengthening and finance mobilization The initiative builds institutional and technical capacity to design and implement FLR actions, while also supporting the development of innovative financing solutions. A new project under the GEF 8 Ecosystem Restoration Integrated Programme has been approved to ensure continuity and scaling of restoration efforts. In parallel, a carbon certification pilot in partnership with ACORN is being implemented with community cooperatives to explore climate finance opportunities. Knowledge, monitoring and outreach A national forest and landscape monitoring system has been established and is undergoing continuous refinement. The project contributes actively to the TRI global knowledge platform and engages in South-South learning under the Global Learning, Finance, and Partnerships (GCP) framework. Awareness-raising efforts have reached over 50 000 people through national media campaigns, strengthening public understanding and support for FLR.
Impact	23 226 ha of forest landscapes under sustainable management 12 000 ha of degraded landscapes put under restoration At least 5 new bankable projects designed and/or implemented as private/public partnerships At least 5 FLR-related policies, laws, or regulations produced/improved
Contact	FAO FLRM focal point Marco Pagliani Christophe Besacier Benjamin DeRidder National coordinator Faustino Oliveira National focal point Meyer António The Restoration Initiative website
More on this topic	This project is part of the GEF 6 funding cycle.
Related publications	The Restoration Initiative: 2023 Year in Review 30/11/2024 In its fifth year of implementation, this annual publication showcases The Restoration Initiative's achievements at the programme level, such as enhanced partnerships, dedicated support across countries to ensure high-quality FLR outcomes, and a platform to share and exchange knowledge with the global restoration community. The Restoration Initiative: 2022 Year in Review 23/05/2023 In its fourth year, The Restoration Initiative (TRI) achieved significant successes despite ongoing COVID-19 challenges. With lifted travel restrictions, TRI partners collaborated effectively to meet cross-programmatic goals and learn from one another. 2022 offered a renewed focus on locally led restoration, community engagement, and fresh perspectives. The Restoration Initiative: 2021 Year in Review 30/09/2022 In its third year of implementation, progress remained encouraging despite ongoing COVID-19 challenges. As restrictions eased, participants returned to the field, leveraging 2020’s analyses, policy recommendations, and restoration plans to accelerate actions. TRI's global partners also launched an initiative to close the investment gap for young enterprises using nature-based solutions and continued to advance knowledge and capacity-building in forest landscape restoration. The Restoration Initiative: 2020 Year in Review 02/11/2021 The 2020 review offers a snapshot of progress and key stories from the second year of The Restoration Initiative (TRI). Supported by the Global Environment Facility and led by IUCN in partnership with FAO and UNEP, TRI helps ten Asian and African countries achieve restoration goals. TRI advanced initiatives like an online course on forest landscape restoration with Yale, a new tool for assessing biodiversity threats, and a mentorship program for restoration-based business proposals. The Restoration Initiative Year in Review 2019 02/07/2020 The Restoration Initiative Year in Review 2019 details progress and stories from the first year of implementing the Restoration Initiative (TRI) programme. Supported by the Global Environment Facility, this pioneering programme, led by IUCN in partnership with FAO and UNEP, aids ten Asian and African countries in achieving shared restoration goals.