Restoring Land, Building Livelihoods: Supporting Spekboom Restoration in South Africa © 2026 World Bank Group,

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2026/04/23/restoring-land-building-livelihoods-supporting-spekboom-restoration-in-south-africa Across South Africa’s Eastern Cape, decades of overgrazing and land degradation have stripped once‑fertile landscapes of their biodiversity. Widespread soil erosion and vegetation loss undermine rural natural capital and heighten exposure to both drought and flooding as upstream soils have disappeared. To restore this degraded land requires long‑term investment, yet projects that deliver environmental benefits often struggle to access upfront financing. © 2026 World Bank Group,