Akar Bambu
Turning bare land, especially on landslide-prone hillsides, back into a productive forest that local people tend and harvest.
The problem
Abandoned land on slopes has lost the plants that once held its soil together. In heavy rain, slopes like these are the most likely to slide.
Often this is not because people do not care. Land is switched to seasonal crops because families need to eat now, while the benefits of a forest take years to arrive.
Akar Bambu aims to create and expand productive forests
We plant using agroforestry and silviculture, where plants that protect the soil grow alongside commodity crops that can be harvested and have economic value.
The result is not a forest fenced off from local people, but a forest that supports them. The more the land recovers, the more there is to use.
What we plant
- BambooAbsorbs and holds water, and its roots bind the soil on slopes. Its stems can be sold.
- KatukA leafy vegetable that can be harvested again and again, providing income from the start.
- VanillaA high-value crop that grows well in shade.
- Local native plantsRestore the ecosystem and give a home to local wildlife.
Cash crops (other than bamboo) are chosen to suit the natural conditions of each site and the needs of the people nearby.
The role of local people
As the people who know the land best and who will benefit from the project, local residents play the leading role.
Besides working on the project (guided by agroforestry experts) and being paid to plant, tend and harvest, local people take part in technical decisions in the field.
Wages and all money flows are recorded in the Public Cash Book by role, not by name, so anyone can check how much reaches the field without revealing anyone’s personal data.
From a tip-off to harvest
- A tip-offSomeone tells us about the land through this site.
- SurveyOur team checks the land, the soil and who owns it.
- Preparing the landWith the landowner and the people nearby.
- PlantingSoil-protecting seedlings and cash crops.
- CareDone by local workers guided by experts.
- HarvestForest products are sold, and local people share in the benefits.
Project figures
- Money in
- Pending
- Money out
- Pending
- Share of total spending
- Pending
Taken from the Public Cash Book. Every transaction is listed on the Transparency page.
Get involved
- IndividualsTell us about degraded land near you, sign up as a contributor, or work on the project when it starts in your area.
- BusinessesPlanting partnerships with impact reports that anyone can check.
- Buyers of forest productsBamboo, katuk, vanilla and other harvests straight from restored land.