Graine de Vie, an NGO dedicated to reforestation integrated into local life
Graine de Vie started its adventure in 2009 with the creation of its first nursery and planting around 100,000 trees in Madagascar. Today we have planted more than 50 000 000 trees in 7 African countries.
Our approach is based on 4 axes: community management, cross-sector partnership, north-south exchanges and the coherence of our actions with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Community engagement
Graine de Vie was born from a local initiative to address major deforestation in the northeast region of Madagascar. Ever since, we have continued with this approach. Indeed, we are convinced that communities facing the same geographical and climate characteristics or having the same customs are the best placed to define and implement the solution to the degradation of their
natural ecosystem.
Cross-sector partnership
Our teams intervene with different stakeholders (private sector, public sector, scientific community, civil society organizations, …) to create a synergy between them and thus provide financial, structural and technical support to the sustainable management of the environment and to the fight against climate change.
North-South exchange
People living in underdeveloped countries are the most vulnerable to the impact of climate change. Moreover, trees planted in these underdeveloped countries have a higher carbon capture rate than in developed countries and they improve the livelihoods and resources of people who are the first to suffer from the effects of global warming. For this reason, we are currently implementing
our projects in African countries.
Contribution to the SDGs
Graine de Vie’s activities contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on several levels. We respond to several issues in a transversal way: gender approach, food security, job creation, reduction of inequalities, protection, restoration and sustainable management of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems,…
CARBON OFFSETTING
The creation of certified carbon credits on our reforestation projects is an opportunity for our NGO to develop its projects while granting important funds to the village populations allowing them to initiate development projects.
Our ambition is to combine our reforestation actions with the improvement of the well-being of the local population and thereby improve the support
of the villagers by motivating them to protect the reforested areas.
At the same time, we enable our partners to combine their efforts to reduce CO2 emissions with voluntary offsetting through our projects.
FACTS ABOUT GRAINE DE VIE IN 2023
Graine de Vie is a network of non-governmental organizations dedicated to reforestation integrated into local life since 2009. Each structure has a board of directors whose members are volunteers and a multidisciplinary executive team.
We have offices in :
Belgium, Cameroon, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Togo
144
Number of planted tree species.
896
Number of reforestation sites.
Over 50.000.000
Number of trees planted since we got started in 2009.
21
Projects to restore and protect national parcs
We have 445 active collaborators
45 are active in Europe (only volunteers) of which 10 are directing operations and 400 are active for reforestation.
20.000
Number of children that we can raise awareness of every year.
Origin of donations :
Belgium, Luxemburg, France, Netherlands, Finland, Madagascar.
It’s time to act !
Frédéric Debouche, President of our NGO
In just two centuries of industrial revolution, man has managed to damage his habitat, the Earth, which is the magnificent and fragile result of millions of years of evolution, often in irreversible ways.
The destruction of forests is taking on such proportions that, each year, more than twelve million hectares of forest disappear, an area equivalent to four times the total surface of Belgium.
We do not have the right to leave our children with the heritage of managing our failings. If we do not act now, we will be guilty of failing to assist humanity which is in grave danger.
20.000 trees will capture 1000 tons of CO2
for a total sum of 10.000€ that’s 30€ per month for 30 years
or 400€ annually for 25 years you can compensate the ecological
footprint of ALL YOUR LIFE.
The average cost for Graine de Vie to plant a tree is 0.50 €.
Latest news about our projects
Planting of 15,000 trees on Mount Passot
Planting of 15,000 trees on Mount Passot which supplies fresh water to Nosy Be, Madagascar’s tourist showcase.
Reforestation with direct seeding, it works !
Graine de Vie has been developing for 5 years a direct seeding tree planting technique which consists of selecting, treating and planting seeds directly into the soil and we are making great progress.
Here are tree seedlings of several species whose seeds were planted last April near Manakara (south-east of Madagascar) with a success rate of more than 60%.
This technique allows us to envisage the planting of several tens of millions of trees each year.
First Graine de Vie Tree nursery in Benin
First Graine de vie tree nursery has just been created in Benin in the capital Cotonou not far from the Abomey Calabi University.
4 days of activity from Wednesday 26th to Saturday 29th.
We put in fast-growing plants to reforest in June.
So far we have managed to plant 4000 of them. The Beninese association CEDV “Chaque Enfant à Droit à la Vie” will continue the work starting next week.
Direct seeding in the Bongolava region
Direct seeding in Bongolava region. On Monday, our local manager Voara reports that a team from Graine de vie from Tananarivo had gone to the Bongolava Region to carry out direct planting with the deputy and the villagers as well as two people from the army. We were able to plant 10,430 seeds on an area of 10 ha.
Forest fires and deforestation in Togo
In Togo we have about 25 tree nurseries currently active with 7 new ones coming soon while also creating awareness about forest fires and deforestation trough radio and local media.
From Gerard Dogo our local Graine de vie responsable
This morning on Radio Planète Plus. Theme: forest fires and deforestation.
This morning on Radio Planète Plus. Theme: forest fires and deforestation.
Scouts helping Graine de Vie with our direct seeding
Everyone participates in the efforts of reforestation of Madagascar. The local chapters of scouts helping Graine de Vie with our direct seeding reforestation efforts in the area of Montagne des Francais, Antsiranana.
#reforestation #fightclimatechange #treeplanting
Reforesting, conservation and accounting for our work efforts
Reforesting, conservation and accounting for our work efforts is a big job as the sites are often in very remote and difficult to access zones. Our teams travel for days to reach them. The last trip (couple of weeks ago) took 3 days: 5-hour river crossing by motorized canoe before reaching the village of Antanandavahely. From there, 2,5 days walk on foot to reach Betsirebaka restoration plot in Masoala Park, Madagascar, where we planted on 50ha of degraded land. #conservation #reforestation #treeplanting #carbonfootprint
Direct seeding produces fast results
Reforestation with direct sowing in Madagascar produces very fast results – young seedlings are visible in just a few weeks after seeds were panted in the soil. And in no time they are ready to absorb CO2. With the help of indigenous people we sow direct millions of seeds every year.
#climatechange #planttrees @grainedevie #carboncapture
Time to plant in Togo
It’s time to plant in Togo! 50,000 young seedlings were distributed yesterday to 100 local families and farmers at our nursery of Kusuntu in the town of Kloto 1. #planttrees #carbonfootprint #reforestation
Raising Environmental awareness
Environmental awareness raising is a part of our NGO’s charter. This includes activities in schools with active involvement of schoolchildren. Recently we delivered seminars in schools of Cotonou (Benin) about the protection of the environment and in particular protection of trees. #reforestation #environmentaleducation
restoration of mangroves in Andovobe
This week’s day of restoration of mangroves in Andovobe, commune Ampondra, District Vohemar, Region SAVA, Madagascar. 3000 propagules were planted on 2 ha of mangrove to restore with the participation of local community, including 30 students.
#mangroves #reforestation #planttrees #carbonoffsets
Cameroon reforestation
Cameroon is quickly becoming a key area of reforestation activities for Graine de Vie. In only 6 months we already stablished 11 tree nurseries. This week we distributed cash crop seedlings to the local population so that they plant on their own tree lots: 7,000 seedlings in the Commune of Doumé (East region) and 21,000 seedlings in the Commune of Mbandjock (Central region). The species we distributed include: cocoa, citrus, non-timber forest products, acacia carabinia, safflower, nymier, wild mango, wild olives, badamiers, mango, jackfruit and more. #agroforestry #treeplanting #reforestation #carbonreduction
Back to school in Madagascar with help of Graine de Vie
Back to school in Madagascar with help of Graine de Vie. Each year we provide the necessary supplies to school pupils and the admin staff in the villages where we have tree nurseries.
Firewalls to protect 1,200 ha of forest in the Ambohitantely National Park
It is just as important to protect the forest as it is to reforest it and that is also a part of our charter. Recently, together with the team from Madagascar National Parks, we were hard at work to create firewalls to protect 1,200 ha of forest in the Ambohitantely National Park. In 3 days we drew a firewall of 1.3 KM long and 15 m wide. #reforestation #forestconservation
SENSEO’s sponsored nursery in Madagascar
While drinking Senseo’s coffee we now compensate for its footprint by planting trees. SENSEO’s sponsored nursery in Madagascar (Fokontany Vohidragnay, commune Tatao, district Manakara, region Fitovignany) has a forecast of 40.000 young trees to be planted this year.#senseo #reforestation #planttrees #carbonoffsetting
Direct seeding
Our #reforestation method of direct seeding in Madagascar has shown great success over the years. And because Madagascar has favorable climate conditions, the results are visible in only few months. Here we see young seedlings grown from direct seeding activity 5 months ago (February 2022) in the village of Antolojahary, one of the villages of Father Pedro. #planttrees #carbonoffsets
400 tree nurseries
Since our inception in 2009 we created and maintain over 400 tree nurseries in 5 countries. All of them exist because they are created and maintained with full support of indigenous communities. They improve livelihood thousands of villagers: they provide jobs, produce food (fruit trees) and they become a focal center of local activities. #reforestation #fightinghunger #carbonoffset
From seed to tree
From seed to tree – that’s what we do and it’s all 100% organic. So what is our source of seeds? We collect them straight from the local trees/plants, store them in specialized storage facilities (constructed by locals with all local materials) and before they are planted in nurseries or in situ we pre-treat them in a natural process. Graine de Vie owns the process from A to Z to ensure that all is done with respect of the local nature. #climatechange #carbonoffset #planttrees
Youdo play Ltd.
Thank you Youdo-play our UK EcoPartner – for giving us the opportunity to share our story with your network. Youdo play has been our partner for a while now, compensating their business’ footprint by planting thousands of trees in Madagascar.
Burkina Faso educational seminars
In collaboration with the headmaster and school director of high schools in villages of Koro and Kotedougou, Burkina Faso, Graine de Vie delivered education seminars to pupils to raise their awareness of negative impact of bush fires on their living environment. Bush fires in the are often caused by children.
#carbonemissions #carbonfootprint #environmentaleducation
First nursery in RDC
Graine de Vie inaugurated our first tree nursery in Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC). With the help of our Togo team, our newly established RDC team was trained to begin our reforestation activities in the vast regions in the country.
#climatecrisis #reforestation #carbonreduction
Benin Sterculia foetida trees
Climate conditions in Benin are very favorable for tree growth, giving us an opportunity to sequester CO2 very quickly after sowing. Sterculia foetida trees which we planted only 2 years ago have grown several meters high and terminalia catapa’s trees planted 3 years ago are already producing fruit.
#reforestation #carbonfootprint #carboncapture
Commune de KIIKI
For 5 days this month Graine de Vie Cameroon’s team, with help of local villagers, carried out intensive situ seeding of 20 hectares. The project includes reforestation of this 180-hectare reserve within the next 2 years.
#planttrees #carboncapture #carbonfootprintreduction
VOHIMARINA
Our annual distribution season of young seedlings has began. Thousands of local villagers and associations line up at our nurseries to receive free plants to be replanted in their own plots and reforestation zones around their villagers. In VOHIMARINA : Commune AMBATOASANA Centre, Region ITASY (Madagascar) 10,000 seedlings were distributed. The tree species include: citriodora, accacia, jacaranda, ravitsara, moringa and coffee. #reforestation #treeplanting #carbonoffset
Burkina Faso
Another country joins the ranks of our cause: Burkina Faso. Our new team on the ground just started few weeks ago and is already very much at work establishing our first nurseries on the Burkinabe soil. #reforestation #carbonfootprint #planttrees #grainedevie
