Day 2 of ACS2 in Addis was another powerful exchange of ideas. I had the opportunity to speak on:

“Enhancing Resilience of Pastoralist Communities under Fragile Contexts: Transforming Invasive Species into Scalable Nature-Based Solutions in the Horn of Africa.”

A special thank you to CARE EthiopiaCARE International and Sintayehu Tadesse Program Manager for the Prosopis Innovation Project in Afar (PIPA) – SPA II Program, for the invitation.

The PIPA – SPA II Project, supported by DANIDA through CARE Denmark with a budget of $1.2M (2022–2025), is doing incredible work on food security, livelihoods, and resilience.

From Presto innovations perspective, I shared how through biochar Prosopis intersects with carbon markets and can help mitigate agricultural emissions while creating scalable climate solutions.

One breakthrough that stood out for me was how SPA II has successfully transformed Prosopis into eco-construction materials durable, low-cost building blocks. This is a brilliant example of turning an environmental challenge into an opportunity for resilience and sustainable growth.