The restoration efforts target regions previously ravaged by soil erosion and invasive species, which left the landscape vulnerable to fire and impoverished the local farming communities. By utilizing a layered planting system, the project aims to diversify income streams for smallholders, creating economic stability that extends beyond traditional carbon credit revenues. This model builds upon the foundational field research conducted by Dr. Willie Smits and the Masarang Foundation.

For the Symbiosis Coalition—a buyers’ group including Google and McKinsey—this marks their first foray into agroforestry with a 335,000-tonne commitment spanning a decade. Tencent has pledged an additional 300,000 tonnes, representing the tech giant’s first carbon offtake agreement outside of China. These long-term contracts provide the financial security required to clear invasive grasses and establish permanent tree cover, tasks that were previously too capital-intensive for local landowners to manage independently. According to Thryve.Earth co-founders Vinay Kulkarni and Ron Steinherz, the partnership allows them to apply institutional rigor to proven, community-centered restoration methods at a meaningful scale.