Combined Project PROJECT TOGO+ | Nature-based Forest as the Foundation, Gold Standard as an Additional Safeguard

PROJECT TOGO is our vision of modern, holistic climate protection in Togo.

For natureOffice, this means far more than planting trees: we see ecological reforestation as inseparable from social responsibility.

Our approach is based on participation — no idea is imposed from the outside, but developed together with the local community through conversations and on-site visits.

This creates solutions that transform degraded land into valuable ecosystems while providing people on the ground with long-term, resilient livelihoods. 
A project created by people, for people — and for nature.

On former fallow land, we are bringing new, wild natural forest to life.
Our guiding principle is a strict no-logging policy: every tree here is allowed to grow old.

We plant only native species, giving the forest an initial boost so it can later regenerate and spread naturally.

This growing natural forest is a powerful climate protector, storing CO₂ not only in its biomass but also in the regenerated forest soil.

In this way, we create a protected refuge for flora and fauna — a place that can develop freely on its own.

Real climate action only works when it benefits the people as well.

That’s why PROJECT TOGO creates far more than green spaces: we secure long-term jobs in forestry and improve quality of life through well construction and food security.

From the beekeeping school to sheep and fish farming, all the way to innovative agroforestry systems that generate high yields on small areas — we support diversity.

We are especially proud of the women’s cooperative, which not only grows agricultural products but also processes them locally.
This keeps the value creation within the community and builds real independence.

Our sheep farming initiative is a prime example of integrated nature conservation.

It provides the local community with access to affordable meat and reduces the need to set risky fires for hunting wildlife — a major cause of forest damage.

We also share essential knowledge about healthy animal breeding (including how to avoid inbreeding) and employ our own veterinarian.

The animals contribute in a very practical way as well: they graze along the firebreaks and act as natural lawn mowers, keeping these areas free from flammable biomass.

This project combines training with nature conservation.

Each year, we train local beekeepers who can support an entire family with just a few hives, thanks to the high value of honey in Togo.

The bees themselves do double duty: they pollinate the plants and, thanks to the defensive nature of the African wild bee, act as a natural protective barrier against illegal entry into the forests.

Clean water is a human right — but in Togo, it’s far from guaranteed.

Instead of relying on unsafe, stagnant water sources, our partner villages now draw their water from modern deep wells (up to 120 meters).

With the help of solar pumps and water towers, we ensure hygienic access to clean water for drinking, cooking and washing.
We also take care of ongoing maintenance and water quality testing.

The result: a noticeably healthier village community and a significant decrease in infectious diseases.

We offer women targeted educational opportunities — from literacy and French courses to workshops on starting a business and developing business plans.

Because the courses are led by local trainers, they are culturally rooted and accessible to women of all ages.

Thanks to a new solar system, we’re now independent of the power grid: this makes it possible to teach after sunset and provides the technical foundation for future computer courses and digital education.

We replace expensive imports with local production: our fish farm supplies the community with fresh fish and currently provides eight permanent jobs.

We rely on smart circular systems: the nutrient-rich water from the fish ponds serves as the ideal fertilizer for the adjoining organic garden, where healthy vegetables are grown for the region.

Since the facility is located along a firebreak, it also helps monitor and protect our natural forests.

To address the unpredictability of climate change, we are testing a new cultivation model for Togo on 50 hectares.

In a dense multi-layer system, we combine a wide variety of plant species. This protects the soil from drying out, increases yields on small areas, and — thanks to its diversity — provides a natural safeguard against crop failures.

Connected to the site is our own training center, where we show farmers how to manage their fields in a more climate-resilient and productive way.

From individual effort to collective strength: in our women’s cooperative, 25 families have joined forces to grow and harvest together.

In a newly built processing facility, the women refine their raw products (for example with a milling machine) directly on site.
Because most of the value lies in processing, incomes rise significantly for everyone. At the same time, the cooperative provides social security: if someone is unable to work, the group carries the load.

A model of success that funds education and helps pave the way out of poverty.

A major obstacle for farmers had long been the high cost of transporting their goods to distant markets.

With the help of three tricycles (cargo motorcycles) donated by the logistics company Gebrüder Weiss, we’ve been able to solve this problem. The vehicles transport the harvest from remote villages directly to the trading centers.

This ensures market access and guarantees that families can actually earn an income from the products they grow.

In six of our partner villages, we have installed central loudspeaker systems on tall masts.

They solve a major communication challenge in the widely scattered settlements. The systems serve a double purpose: they make organizing community life easier (for example, calling people to meetings), but their primary role is a vital early-warning system.

In case of fire or any other danger, the entire community can be alerted within seconds.

Together with the Red Cross, we train villagers in first aid and provide them with the necessary equipment. For fast transport to hospitals, we use our tricycle logistics vehicles.

We are currently expanding our work significantly in the area of maternal care: with mobile midwives, we improve hygiene during childbirth and actively combat child mortality in the villages.

In close cooperation with the nearby state agricultural school, we are training the next generation of conservationists.

We offer students highly sought-after internships in which they experience the entire life cycle of a natural forest. Their training covers everything from collecting rare seeds in the wild to nurturing young plants and strategically planting them in symbiotic tree groups.

In this way, the students become important ambassadors of our vision and carry the knowledge of ecological forest management into the future of Togo.

Lack of hygiene is a major cause of disease.

To prevent germs from entering the food chain through open defecation, we work together with the villagers to build sanitary facilities.

We use the dry toilet system: it separates liquids from solids. The composted residues are later used as valuable fertilizer.

In this way, we create hygienic standards and protect health while also closing ecological nutrient cycles.

To enable women who are heavily tied to household responsibilities to earn their own income, we support rabbit farming directly at their homes.

After a professional six-month training program (including stable construction and basic veterinary knowledge), we equip the participants with all the infrastructure they need.

This creates a flexible and reliable source of income for many women — one that fits alongside childcare and strengthens the financial independence of their families.

We brought a tradition from northern Togo to the south: the use of donkeys as working animals.

Because donkeys were unfamiliar in the project region, we started with two animals to demonstrate in practice how much these helpers can ease heavy physical work — especially when transporting loads.

The experiment succeeded: initial skepticism turned into enthusiasm, and many families have since followed the example and acquired their own donkeys to lighten their daily workload.

To stop the pollution of the landscape caused by plastic waste, we launched an innovative recycling project together with Trier University of Applied Sciences.

After conducting a detailed waste analysis, we identified the black market bags as the main issue. Today, we collect them during community campaigns and process them in the villages into new products such as mats, ropes and bowls.

The project is designed for the long term: the goal is to build a professional recycling chain in which plastic is shredded and then resold or processed as granulate in a profitable way.