Year One of SUNCASA Progress: Lessons in Nature-Based Solutions

As we celebrate the achievements of SUNCASA’s first year, IISD also extends its heartfelt support to our colleagues in Johannesburg who have been facing severe storms and flash floods in the past few days. Moments like these reinforce the importance of our shared work in building more resilient cities that are better protected from the impacts of climate change. This sentiment came through loud and clear most recently when SUNCASA partners from 14 organizations reviewed progress made in the first year of the project at SUNCASA’s inaugural peer learning event (PLE) in Kigali.

More trees, fewer invasives, cleaner rivers

In Kigali, Rwanda, 60% of the agroforestry target for the project was achieved in 2024, with 820 hectares out of the 1,262-hectare goal planted with fruit trees. This addresses flood and landslide risks and will help with the future food security and enhanced livelihoods of local communities. Regarding urban tree planting, 94% of the goal was reached with 56,000 trees planted along roadways to increase canopy coverage and green corridors within the city, tackling urban heat and contributing to increased biodiversity. 

"In just 1 year, we have been able to achieve remarkable milestones," said Kigali’s Mayor Samuel Dusengiyumva during the opening of the PLE. "We have made tremendous strides in urban greening. More importantly, we have ensured that these efforts directly benefit our communities by distributing 32,000 fruit trees to households, reinforcing the idea that sustainability and well-being go hand in hand."

In Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, 313,330 seedlings were planted during SUNCASA’s first year. Over 128,000 of those were planted as part of the afforestation efforts, recovering 60 hectares of bare land—more than half of the 105-hectare target. When it comes to agroforestry, the goal of 115.5 hectares was overachieved in just one year, with the planting of 142,600 trees on 131 hectares. Additionally, 14 hectares of buffer zones—56% of the project’s target—were created with over 42,000 trees and shrubs planted to protect the banks of the Dechatu River.

In Johannesburg, South Africa, where activities are much more concentrated in densely populated urban areas, 80% of the urban greening and buffer zones target was attained in 2024 with the planting of 6,324 trees. "SUNCASA partners have made incredible progress on our NbS targets during the first year of project implementation," said Janina Schnick, International Institute for Sustainable Development Project Lead. "Bringing everyone together in Kigali to exchange achievements, challenges, and learnings allowed them to optimize their approaches and interventions and maximize the project's impact. I can’t wait to see what they accomplish in year two of SUNCASA."

For Marc Manyifika, the World Resources Institute’s Lead for Urban Water Resilience, the first year of SUNCASA has showcased the transformative potential of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI)-responsive nature-based solutions—not only in strengthening climate resilience but also in promoting social inclusion and economic opportunity.

"Across Kigali, Dire Dawa, and Johannesburg, we’ve made remarkable progress—restoring landscapes, enhancing urban green spaces, and improving community well-being," said Manyifika. "What excites me most is that this is just the beginning. With the momentum we’ve built and the enthusiasm from communities and city leadership, SUNCASA is set to scale its impact even further in the years ahead, demonstrating that climate adaptation, biodiversity, and local livelihoods can go hand in hand."

"What excites me most is that this is just the beginning. With the momentum we’ve built and the enthusiasm from communities and city leadership, SUNCASA is set to scale its impact even further in the years ahead."

Marc Manyifika, WRI’s Lead for Urban Water Resilience

In its first year, SUNCASA both advanced NbS and strengthened local capacity through 11 training sessions for local partners. These sessions covered key topics such as urban NbS implementation, procurement, vulnerability and risk assessments, biophysical water monitoring, economic valuation, monitoring, evaluation, and learning, strategic communications, and GESI.

For GESI targets, SUNCASA collaborated with AVEGA Agahozo in Kigali, Hararghe Catholic Secretariat in Dire Dawa, and Gender CC in Johannesburg to deliver workshops for 694 community members, including women, men, youth, elders, local leaders, and people with disabilities. These workshops focused on addressing social and gender biases, promoting equitable participation in NbS planning and implementation, and encouraging shared decision-making within households.

These training sessions sparked discussions on marginalization, exclusion, and gender-based violence in the context of NbS and climate adaptation, fostering shifts in gender and social norms at the personal and family levels. SUNCASA is committed to protecting the rights of women and other underrepresented groups, ensuring that at least 50% of participants came from marginalized communities.

SUNCASA Year One in Numbers
 

Dire Dawa

• 313,330 seedlings planted.
• Afforestation: 128,550 trees planted, recovering 60 hectares of bare land—more than half of the 105-hectare target.
• Agroforestry: 142,600 fruit trees planted in 131 hectares, overachieving the project’s initial goal of 115.5 hectares.
• Buffer Zones: 56% of the target achieved with 42,000 trees and shrubs planted in 14 hectares.

Kigali

• Agroforestry: 60% of the project target achieved with 820 hectares out of the 1,262-hectare goal planted with fruit trees
• Urban Greening: 94% of the goal reached, with 56,000 trees planted along roadways to increase canopy coverage and green corridors.
• Gullies: Planting of 31,900 trees out of 46,000 in ravines.

Johannesburg

• Urban greening and buffer zones: 80% of the project’s target achieved with the planting of 6,324 tress in highly populated urban areas.
• Remove an alien species, Kikuyu grass, from two hectares.
• Development and installation of litter traps along the Jukskei River in Alexandra Township.

 Training sessions

• 11 training sessions for local partners, including urban NbS implementation, procurement, vulnerability and risk assessments, biophysical water monitoring, economic valuation, monitoring, evaluation, and learning, strategic communications, and GESI.
• Gender equality and social inclusion workshops for 694 community members, including women, men, youth, elders, local leaders, and people with disabilities.