Strategic Partnership Brings Landscape Rehabilitation Training to Ga-Kibi

Through the Agri Regen programme, Avo Vision, in partnership with GIZ, has successfully trained 69 participants in environmental restoration in Ga-Kibi, Limpopo. The five-day training, conducted in May, is part of a broader initiative to rehabilitate degraded landscapes and restore them to productive and natural states, enabling sustainable crop cultivation and livestock farming.

Training Programme Builds Environmental Management Capacity

The training focused on 22 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) involved in bush thinning, equipping them with both theoretical and practical knowledge in environmental management and landscape restoration. Participants learned to reduce invasive vegetation, encourage the return of native species, and improve overall ecosystem health.

To strengthen these efforts, the programme introduced a new group of Restoration Champs, individuals trained in advanced ecological restoration techniques beyond traditional bush thinning.

Programme Targets Bush Encroachment to Increase Available Farmland

Thabile Zwane, Project Coordinator at Avo Vision, emphasized the dual focus of the initiative, saying, “This programme equips entrepreneurs not only with environmental restoration skills but also with essential business and financial literacy training.”

“As part of Agri Regen, our goal is to make more land available by tackling bush encroachment,” Zwane added. “As woody plants proliferate, they displace native grasses, creating erosion-prone bare ground and restricting access to grazing areas for livestock. Dense thickets also hinder land use and human movement.”

Programme Targets Bush Encroachment to Increase Available Farmland

Bush encroachment by indigenous invasive species has significantly degraded approximately 25,000 hectares of rangeland in the drought-prone Ga-Kibi region. In response, Avo Vision launched a regeneration initiative under its Green Business Value Chain (GBVC) to support green enterprises in clearing invasive species and repurposing biomass into value-added products such as wood, charcoal, and biochar.

Participant Highlights Training's Community Impact

Local entrepreneurs, particularly those harvesting the woody Sekelbos plant for charcoal production, are leading the charge in restoring land viability for agriculture. This initiative strengthens large-scale restoration efforts and promotes sustainable business practices.

Participant Modjadji Ratshilavhi shared her experience, saying, “This training opened my eyes to how we can bring the land back to life—not just for farming, but for our community’s future.”

Green Programme Creates Over 1,600 Jobs in Two Years

Over the past two years, Avo Vision’s GBVC programme has created more than 1,600 green jobs, while restoring thousands of hectares of land. In partnership with GIZ and the Social Employment Fund (SEF), the programme has supported over 70 green enterprises with training and resources, ensuring long-term sustainability and economic resilience.