Eligibility criteria (knock-out) :

• The ESO must be legally registered and physically based in Kenya.
• The ESO must have been operating for at least one year
• The ESO should have a team of at least 2 full-time employees (including founders).
• The ESO should have a stable and reliable internet connection and a physical space to receive groups
• Can dedicate 50% of the time of one staff to run the program as Incubation Manager.
• Can participate in Training of Trainers for ESOs (~15 hours).
• Can offer a 1.5h training to the rest of the ESOs on their own best practices.
• Accepts the ESOs program conditions described on this page.

Selection criteria (used to evaluate candidates): 

• Have prior experience running entrepreneurship programs.
• Coachable and willing to share knowledge with the group.
• Motivation to join the program and be trained in their core activity.
• Prior sectoral knowledge in sustainable agriculture, the environment, restoration…
• Good facilities and support environment.
• Good connection with other ecosystem players.
• Overall quality of the written and oral application to the program

Forest and landscape restoration is the process of reversing the degradation of soils, agricultural areas, forests, and watersheds thereby regaining their ecological functionality. Restoration can happen by taking deliberate steps to integrate a greater number and variety of tree species into gardens, farms, fields and forests; or by allowing natural regeneration of overgrazed, polluted or otherwise overused ecosystems. Essentially, it is a process to improve the productivity and capacity of landscapes to meet the various and changing needs of society.

Forest and landscape restoration is the ongoing process of regaining ecological functionality and enhancing human well-being across deforested or degraded landscapes. Such restoration is more than just planting trees – it is restoring a whole landscape to meet present and future needs and to offer multiple benefits and land uses over time.

Restoration manifests through different processes such as; new tree plantings, managed natural regeneration, agroforestry, or improved land management to accommodate a mosaic of land uses, including agriculture, protected wildlife reserves, managed plantations, riverside plantings and more.

Restorative businesses are those that help to deliver forest or landscape restoration, either directly or as a by-product of their business and business operations. Restorative businesses are often focused on things like;

• Creating value from standing forest; Based upon harnessing the high variety, value and productivity of naturally growing forest products and environmental services in standing primary and secondary forest. They are high-value because the products and services which are produced by intact forests generate high market value per unit, and low-intensity because the impact on the forest is minimal or almost non-existent. Examples; Payments for ecosystem services, Wild forest production, Ecotourism, Reduced impact logging. Creating value from partially degraded standing forests can help raise the value of that forest and half further degradation. Over time natural or human-assisted reforestation and restoration can happen.
• Creating value from forest regrowth on degraded land; Restoring previously degraded land and returning that land to a state that is as close as possible to natural forest. A diverse mixture of regrowth vegetation that increases both above- and below-ground biodiversity and biomass. Restoring degraded land can support livelihoods and increase economic productivity by restoring soils and water, delivering climate change mitigation by sequestering carbon and enhancing biodiversity and other key ecosystem services outcomes (clean water, reduced erosion, enhanced soil fertility, etc.). Examples; Regrowth of natural forest for compliance or voluntary purposes (payments for environmental services), regrowth to productive forest systems.
• Creating value from pasture regeneration; rangelands cover over 70% of the country providing important benefits in terms of livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. Based on the national restoration opportunities assessment carried out in 2016, two main restoration approaches were identified: grass reseeding using improved grasses providing economic benefits through grass (hay), grass seeds and carbon sequestration and prompting silvo-pastoral system where grass reseeding is done with Acacia senegal for gum production. The improved fodder would also impact livestock production in rangelands through added milk and meat products. 
• Creating value from coastal zone regeneration; Kenya’s coastline is about 600km long and extends from the Border with Somalia in the North to the Tanzanian border in the south. It has rich natural resources, which are of great economic, social and cultural value to the coastal region inhabitants and the nation at large. Coastal and marine ecosystems provide ecosystem services on which key economic sectors depend, including tourism, shipping, agriculture, fisheries and to a lesser extent mining and manufacturing. Restoration of strategic landscapes and seascapes combined with the application of good agriculture and fisheries practices will help promote models of  sustainable and resilient growth for the country while ensuring that the potential of new promising sectors like aquaculture is met.

Further information on the need, role and opportunities for restorative businesses is available from the platform of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration: https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/types-ecosystem-restoration

Bridge for Billions is a social enterprise that helps all kinds of organizations to design, build and manage their entrepreneurship & innovation programs to generate value for all parties involved. Their goal is to democratize access ti quality entrepreneurship support. UNEP and FAO partnered up with them to set up and run The Restoration Factory, so if you are selected as Incubation Manager / ESO for this program, they will train and guide you to make the program a success!