Food Forest Foundation

We’re working with African rural communities to build the necessary resources and education in order to foster autonomy through sustainable practices. By turning depleted land into productive, regenerative ecosystems, we aim to create lasting, positive change and generational food security. The Challenge: Around two-thirds of Africa comprises deserts or drylands, and almost 75% of these areas are believed to be degraded. With pervasive poverty and difficult socio-economic conditions, many people heavily depend on natural resources for their livelihoods. Addressing land degradation, desertification, and drought impacts is vital to achieving economic growth and social advancement for numerous African countries. The Solution: Food forest farming is a permaculture technique that involves planting multiple layers of food-producing trees and plants to mimic natural ecosystems. Each layer harmoniously supports the food forest by attracting insects and birds, enriching the soil with essential nutrients, and strategically shading neighboring foliage. These dense and diverse ecosystems adapt to seasonal climate change to create a low-maintenance, self-sustaining source of food throughout the year, helping build communities resilience to historically precarious conditions that can fatally impact communities. Our Method: 1. We grow trees to establish the foundational layer of a food forest 2. We set up tree nurseries and seed banks within the communities 3. We teach syntropic farming techniques to all community members 4. We develop a partner supply chain to purchase surplus products and generate income for the farmers 5. We provide community education with hands-on workshops and professional development