Projects Current projects Trees of Hope – Malawi The project coordinates community-led efforts in climate change mitigation and adaptation through agroforestry and reforestation activities, reducing the local community’s vulnerability to climate change through benefits derived from tree-based land use systems. Benefits that Trees of Hope provides Start date 2007 Coordinator The Clinton Foundation Activities Agroforestry Participants 852 smallholder families PVCs issued to-date 82,901 The detail The Clinton Development Initiative established the Trees of Hope Project in 2007 in the Dowa and Neno districts of Malawi to reverse deforestation, mitigate the harmful effects of climate change, and bolster a self-sustaining marketplace by making tree farming profitable and attractive for smallholder farmers. The Trees of Hope project helps decrease the community’s vulnerability to climate change by implementing tree-based land use systems, while also providing farmers with increased income from the sale of Plan Vivo certified carbon credits. Plan Vivo supports communities in managing their natural resources by quantifying ecosystem services. Through the Trees of Hope project, rural farmers in Malawi decide how they can best address threats to their local ecosystems by choosing one of five land-use systems that addresses threats to their local ecosystem. These systems represent responsible land management strategies that benefit the environment by reducing soil erosion and increasing soil fertility. The documents See all documents SDG details See how the project provides benefits beyond carbon and contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Sustainable Development Goal How the project contributes Farmers use their PES income to make improvements to their farms and homes, purchase a wider variety of food products and purchase improved seeds and fertilisers to increase agricultural crop yields. The project supports communities to diversify their income by encouraging sustainable timber production and micro-enterprises such as bee keeping, mushroom production, candle making and dried fruit production. Fruit harvested from established orchards provides families with a nutritious food source and an additional source of income. Agroforestry systems contribute to greater food and income security through increased crop yields. Farmers use their PES income to pay for school fees and purchase school supplies for their children. The project has established a Farmer Training Centre in partnership with other Clinton Development Initiative programs active in the area. The centre provides training on tree nursery establishment, tree grafting, firebreak construction, seed collection and agronomy. The project's clean cook stove initiative minimises the amount of wood duel which needs to be harvested from forests. The project helps to increase adaptive capacity to climate change by implementing tree-based land management systems and providing farmers with alternative sources of income. Tree-based land use systems help to decrease soil erosion, increase soil fertility and strengthen community resilience to droughts and flooding. Over 500,000 trees planted. Farmers choose which tree-based land use systems to implement - all of which support biodiversity maintenance, prevention of soil erosion and the protection of local and regional watersheds. Manage Cookie Preferences