Nature-Based Solutions

To mitigate climate impacts, alleviate poverty and create employment opportunities

Abdi Siyad

Community actions to restore watershed

What is Nature-Based Solutions

Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are strategies that harness the power of ecosystems and the natural environment to help communities adapt to and build resilience against the impacts of climate change. They focus on preserving, restoring, and sustainably managing natural systems, delivering protection for people while providing co-benefits for biodiversity, livelihoods, and food security.

NBS have gained global recognition as cost-effective and sustainable approaches that are particularly beneficial for rural communities, which are disproportionately affected by climate risks such as droughts, floods, soil degradation, and declining agricultural productivity. By restoring ecosystems and promoting sustainable land and water management, NBS create employment opportunities, enhance food production, and help alleviate poverty, offering both economic and environmental benefits.

Moreover, NBS equip communities with knowledge, skills, and best practices to navigate climate uncertainties, ensuring long-term resilience, improved livelihoods, and strengthened social and ecological systems.

Success Stories from Sub-Saharan Countries

Here are some strong success stories and examples of nature‑based solutions (NBS) in Sub‑Saharan Africa — showing how ecosystems restoration and management are delivering climate, livelihood, and resilience gains.

Great Green Wall Initiative (Sahel Region)

This initiative aims to restore degraded lands across the Sahel Region ( from Senega to Djibouti) through tree planning, agro-forestry, and sustainable land management
The goal is to boost rural livelihoods, strengthens food security, increase ecosystem resilience and alleviate poverty,

Reducing Urban Flooding (Nairobi, Kampala)

Urban flooding is the most pressing challenges in African cities due to poor drainage and climate change
Every year, recurrent flash-floods destroy properties, disrupt livelihoods and threaten health
NBS has illustrated a cost effective , sustainable and multi-functional approaches to manage stormwater, reduce flooding risks and improve urban resilience.
Key activities of NBS including - rainwater harvesting, green roofs, urban agriculture solutions, restoring riparian areas, creating urban forestry and tree planting.

Watershed Restoration ( Rwanda and Ethiopia)

Aims to restarting natural functions of ecosystem to improve water availability, reduce erosion and enhance resilience to climate change
Activities including tree planting, rehabilitating riparian areas, wetlands, grasslands and forests
NBS helps to stabilize soils, recharge groundwater, and regulate surface water flows to reduce flash-floods.

a man riding a motorcycle through a flooded street

Summary

By leveraging the services that natural systems provide, NBS offer cost-effective and long-term pathways for resilient development, especially in rural and climate-vulnerable regions.

Reducing Poverty and Creating Green Jobs - including ecosystem restoration, watershed rehabilitation, community-based conservation. Ethiopia's Landscape Restoration Program is an excellent example of creating thousands of jobs, improved soil fertility, reduced migration pressures.
Strengthening Food Security and Agriculture Productivity - NBS solutions improve water availability, soil health, and contribute long-term food security. Farmer-managed natural regeneration of tees i Niger has restored over 5 million hectares of degraded land, increased crop yields and food security in rural areas.
Building Climate Resilience - NBS enhance the adaptive capacity of communities and ecosystems to withstand climate shocks such as droughts, floods, and storms.
Reducing Urban and Rural Flood Risks - By restoring natural hydrological systems, NBS reduce the risk and impact of floods in both rural and urban settings.
Enhancing Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services - Healthy ecosystems sustain biodiversity, which underpins all life-support systems—pollination, nutrient cycling, and water purification.
Contribute Peace Building and Social Cohesion - joint restorations projects, cooperation between communities and building trust and foster inclusive decisions-making and long-term peace dividends.