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Good practice Imported

Gambia River Mangrove REDD+ Restoration — Verified Carbon Unit Purchase Agreement with Orsted

Gambia · Kiang Keneba · See the Gambia profile

Evidence: Observational / pre–post Top 53% 47/100 · Ask Evidence Copilot about this practice

Gambia's wildlife department and three NGOs restore Gambia River mangroves under a VCS-certified REDD+ project financed by a carbon purchase deal with Danish firm Orsted; 5,000+ ha replanted in 2023 and dalasi payments already reach 50+ communities.

240 hectares
Mangrove area replanted (2022 pilot phase) (2022)
5,000+ hectares
Mangrove area restored (scaled up) (2023)
50+ communities
Riverside communities involved (2023)
100,000+ hectares
Long-term restoration target (long-term target)
300,000-2,000,000 Gambian dalasi
Community payments received (range) (by late 2023)
1,392 emission reductions per year
Estimated annual emission reductions (VCS methodology, not yet verified) (ongoing, 30-year crediting period from 2022)
Gambia River Mangrove REDD+ Restoration — Verified Carbon Unit Purchase Agreement with Orsted

Details

Maturity
Scaling
Promoter
Department of Parks and Wildlife Management (Gambia); Sahel Wetlands Concern; KOMFORRA; WABSA; Orsted
Period
2022–ongoing (30-year VCS crediting period)
Keywords
mangrove restoration, blue carbon, REDD+, coastal ecosystems

Context

Since 2022, The Gambia's Department of Parks and Wildlife Management (DPWM) has partnered with three local NGOs — Sahel Wetlands Concern, the Kombo Foni Forestry Association (KOMFORRA) and the West African Bird Study Association (WABSA) — to restore mangrove forests along the Gambia River under a REDD+ mechanism designed to the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS).

Objectives

The project targets restoring mangrove forest across three administrative regions, working toward a long-term target of over 100,000 hectares, financed through carbon-credit revenue via a Verified Carbon Unit Purchase Agreement (VCUPA) with Danish energy company Orsted.

Activities

A pilot phase in 2022 replanted around 240 hectares; by 2023 the project had scaled up to restore more than 5,000 hectares with over 50 riverside communities. Governance runs through a National Steering Committee alongside community-level Project Committees and emerging District Committees.

Results

By late 2023, participating communities such as Kiang Keneba, Kiang Jolli and Kiang Karantaba had already received payments ranging from roughly 300,000 to 2 million Gambian dalasis, with the bulk of carbon-credit revenue scheduled to begin flowing in 2027. The VCS carbon accounting is estimated at about 1,392 emission reductions per year, though this has not yet been independently verified or credited.

Conclusions

The main evidence gap is ecological: while mangrove restoration is well-established as a coastal-protection and carbon-storage practice, no independent, site-specific monitoring of biodiversity or water-quality outcomes has yet been published.

Implementation
Indicative cost
Medium (€50k–€500k) — Community payments so far have ranged from roughly 300,000 to 2,000,000 Gambian dalasi per community (by late 2023); the bulk of carbon-credit revenue is scheduled to begin flowing in 2027.
Time to results
Long (> 3 years) — Pilot phase in 2022 (240 ha); scaled to 5,000+ ha by 2023; 30-year VCS crediting period from 2022, working toward a long-term target of 100,000+ ha.
Staffing & skills
Department of Parks and Wildlife Management (Gambia), Sahel Wetlands Concern, Kombo Foni Forestry Association (KOMFORRA), West African Bird Study Association (WABSA)

Conditions for success

  • National Steering Committee and community-level Project/District Committees for governance
  • Verified Carbon Unit Purchase Agreement (VCUPA) with Orsted providing revenue

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