On 19 June, join experts and community leaders for the hybrid event GLF Africa 2025: Innovate, Restore, Prosper. Explore opportunities for the continent to reverse land degradation, biodiversity loss and the climate crisis.
Nairobi, Kenya (12 June 2025) – GLF Africa, hosted by the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) and CFOR-ICRAF, returns for its 7th edition on 19 June, held online and in person in Nairobi, Kenya, in English, French and Swahili.
Bringing together leading voices from diverse sectors and backgrounds, this hybrid conference will spotlight Africa’s progress, priorities and possibilities in building healthy, resilient and prosperous landscapes, communities and economies.
Africa holds two-thirds of the world’s arable land and the youngest population on Earth. GLF Africa 2025: Innovate, Restore, Prosper will highlight how science and traditional knowledge are guiding local action towards an economy that keeps the continent’s land healthy for future generations.
The event will cover four key themes:
- Forest and landscape restoration
- Land and tree use rights and livelihoods
- Natural capital and sustainable finance
- AI, technology and data for intelligent landscapes
Building Africa’s nature economy
Africa faces a triple environmental crisis of land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change, but current policies, funding and land rights fall short of what’s needed.
Time is running out to tackle these challenges – which is why the continent must start building a powerful nature economy today. This means unlocking its vast natural capital –its forests, biodiversity, land and water – combined with its deep knowledge systems, good governance, meaningful partnerships, AI and big data.
How to join the conversation
Everyone is invited to register for free at bit.ly/GLFAfrica2025.
The event will feature more than 60 inspiring speakers, including:
- Balbina Andrew, Indigenous community leader from Tanzania, Executive Director of Nourish Africa and Coordinator of the locally-led initiative GLFx Mwanza.
- Kate Kallot, Founder and CEO of Amini AI, recognized for expanding access to technology across Africa and named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in AI.
- Ngobi Joel, Co-Founder of the School Food Forest Initiative, 2025 GLF Forest Restoration Steward and activist focused on climate, education and rural development in Uganda.
- Peter Minang, Africa Director at the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) and an expert in climate-smart landscapes.
- Rekia Foudel, Founder and Managing Partner of Barka Fund, one of the GLF’s 8 Women with a New Vision for Earth 2025, bringing innovative financing to African startups.
- Sellah Bogonko, Co-Founder and CEO of Jacob’s Ladder Africa, working to activate 30 million green jobs across Africa by 2033.
- Solange Bandiaky-Badji, President of the Rights and Resources Group (RRG) and Coordinator of the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), who spearheaded RRI’s Gender Justice program.
These leaders will be joined by many other changemakers in youth-led action, research, storytelling, academia, gender equity, sustainable finance and policy to discuss topics such as:
- Powering Africa’s future – the promise of nature-centered economies
- Confronting challenges to secure rights, land restoration and livelihoods
- Scaling up farmer-managed natural regeneration: Action in Ethiopia and Kenya
- Bridging knowledge domains for inclusive landscape restoration
- Financing frontline action for climate, nature and livelihoods
- How Africa can lead agri-tech transformation
- From vision to action – A roadmap for Africa’s nature economy
Explore the full agenda here.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
- Download visuals from the GLF Africa 2025 Trello board.
- Download photos from the GLF Africa 2024 Photography Awards or GLF Africa 2024 Flickr albums.
- For more information or interviews, contact Kelly Quintero (k.quintero@cifor-icraf.org). Let us know if you’re looking for experts by topic, region or language.
- Alongside GLF Africa 2025, the GLF will engage youth and local leaders from across the continent in collaborative in-person experiences during:
- Africa Restoration Week (20–21 June)
- The Stakeholder Engagement with Evidence training (23–25 June)
- The Landscape Leadership Camp (16–18 June)
The workshops, interactive learning and peer networking will bridge community experience, scientific research and regional insights on policy, evidence-based restoration action, inclusive decision making, landscape approaches, breaking silos, climate justice, fundraising and more. To connect with the organizers or participants and learn more, contact Kelly Quintero (k.quintero@cifor-icraf.org)
ABOUT THE GLF
The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) is the world’s largest knowledge-led platform on integrated land use, connecting people with a shared vision to create productive, profitable, equitable and resilient landscapes. It is led by the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), in collaboration with its co-founders UNEP and the World Bank, and its charter members. Learn more at www.globallandscapesforum.org.
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