Restoration targets in East Africa are unlikely to be met credibly without a stronger supply of high-quality native tree seedlings. Native species are essential for biodiversity recovery, ecosystem resilience, and the long-term success of restoration efforts, yet their availability remains far below policy ambitions. Nursery systems represent a major bottleneck, as weak seed supply, limited technical expertise, insufficient quality assurance, fragmented markets, and underdeveloped business models continue to constrain production. Investing in higher-quality seedlings can improve survival rates, reduce the costs of replanting and maintenance, and increase the long-term impact of restoration investments. Governments, donors, and the private sector should therefore regard native tree nurseries as strategic restoration infrastructure and support them through improved procurement practices, technical assistance, stronger seed systems, and long-term financing aligned with the production cycles of native seedlings.
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