Many public and private tree planting campaigns and investments seek to reforest degraded landscapes in Sub-Saharan Africa, preferably with native tree species. Nurseries focus on exotic tree species for commercial purposes, limiting opportunities for alternative reforestation approaches. The German International Climate Initiative (IKI) finances this project, co-developed with ICRAF and Botanic Gardens Conservation Internationa to address the bottleneck of low availability and insufficient seedling quality. The objective was to analyze the supply and demand for seedlings of native tree species and to improve their quality to enhance the planting success of restoration projects. The overall goal with project partners is to define the right tree in the right place (RTRP) for the proper purpose by supplying high-quality native tree planting material.

• Analysis of seedling value chains, supply and demand side in Kenia, Uganda, Ruanda, and Ethiopia
• Partnering with four nurseries and introducing best practices for high-quality seedling production
• Providing targeted training and advice for nurseries and tree-planting initiatives
• Development of digital solutions, e.g., for the management and promotion of native tree species
• Promotion of developed solutions beyond the four project countries