Katrine Gro Friborg

“Many people mistakenly believe that any tree seed can be planted successfully,” said Dr Athanase Mukuralinda, director of the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) Rwanda, at a national learning exchange on tree seed systems. “Using low-quality tree seeds leads to weak trees. High-quality seed is essential for effective restoration.” That assumption – that any seed will do – points to a deeper challenge in landscape restoration across East Africa.

Restoring degraded landscapes is widely recognized as a pathway to strengthening biodiversity, food security and climate resilience. Yet the long-term success of restoration often hinges on a factor that receives far less attention than tree numbers or planting targets: the quality and diversity of the seed and seedlings used to restore those landscapes.