Carbon Ventures Africa
Removing carbon by restoring African forests
Restoring Native Forests for Future Generations
Carbon Ventures Africa partners with local communities across the continent to restore native forests on deforested and degraded land. Working alongside local communities, technical specialists, NGOs and international partners, we create lasting environmental and social impact.
Founded by the team behind Power Ventures Africa, our mission is ambitious yet achievable: restoring more than 500,000 hectares of forest - over three times the size of Greater London - over the next 10 years, removing over 100 million tonnes of CO₂e by 2050.
Our Vision
- 500,000 hectares restored by 2035
- 100 million tonnes CO₂e removed
- Biodiverse habitats re-established
- Thousands of rural jobs created
- Communities empowered to become custodians of restored forests
Our first project
Miombo Renewal, CVA's first project, which will restore over 200,000 hectares of degraded miombo woodlands in southern DR Congo.
The Crisis: Africa's Vanishing Forests
Devastating Loss
Nearly 4 million hectares of African forests disappear annually - almost double the global deforestation rate.
Primary Drivers
Slash-and-burn agriculture and charcoal production accelerate forest destruction and will continue without alternative livelihoods.
Real Local Impact
Deforestation disrupts rainfall, heats local climates, and degrades soils - harming farmers and water security.
Local Communities Bear the Greatest Burden
Beyond climate catastrophe, deforestation devastates local livelihoods. As forests vanish, land becomes degraded from overuse and lack of protective tree cover.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation reports that up to 65 per cent of African productive land is now degraded, whilst desertification affects 45 per cent of the continent.
Communities lose their natural resources, food security and economic opportunities.
The Solution: Community-led Landscape Restoration
Genuine partnership
Communities retain ownership of their land and decide what areas to restore and protect
Remove the drivers of deforestation and degradation
Plant fast-growing indigenous species for sustainable charcoal production
Agricultural improvements remove the need for slash-and-burn
Promote biodiversity
Restore indigenous species and create thriving ecosystems
Empower communities to become custodians of their land
Provide long-term income and diverse sustainable livelihoods from restoration and protection activities
Modular approach
Working with local community groups allows secure access to large areas of lane and provides clear route to scale
Carbon finance
Generate high quality verified carbon removal credits to fund native forest re-establishment, restoration and protection
Community Impact
Our approach centres local communities at every stage. We don't impose solutions—we co-create them, ensuring forests are established on terms that work for the people who depend on the land.
Native forest re-establishment
Restoring indigenous species to degraded landscapes, rebuilding natural ecosystems
Long term employment
Creating sustainable jobs in planting, maintenance and forest protection
Sustainable charcoal production
Planting sustainable charcoal woodlots that ensure long term forest viability
Agricultural improvements
Enhanced soil quality, water retention and crop rotation benefit farming practices and mitigate need to clear new land for agriculture
Alternative livelihoods
As forests return, communities can earn from honey, caterpillars and other non-timber products, creating lasting alternatives to deforestation.
Revenue sharing
Communities receive a fair share of carbon credit value generated over the lifetime of the project
The Team
Ian Derry
Ian has over 20 years’ experience in business development in Africa. He is a director of BusinessMinds, a company focused on delivering innovative business models for Africa and cofounded and ran africaJUICE, a leading African fruit production and processing business and Power Ventures Africa, a renewable energy company. Ian holds a masters degree in engineering from Cambridge University, UK.
Andrew Gaines
Andrew has nearly two decades of experience working on power, agriculture and manufacturing businesses throughout Africa. Prior to founding Power Ventures Africa, Andrew co-founded DeRisk Advisory Services, a London-based agent for the World Bank Group’s political risk insurance agency, MIGA. Andrew has also worked with Accenture (UK) and Credit Suisse (Switzerland) and holds an MBA from HEC Paris and a BA from Pepperdine University.
Professor Mylor Ngoy Shutcha
Professor Mylor Ngoy Shutcha is a Congolese ecologist based in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo. He is Professor of Ecology at the University of Lubumbashi and Director of the Research Unit in Ecology, Ecological Restoration and Landscape (EREP). He holds a Doctorate in Agronomic Sciences and completed post-doctoral research at Université Libre de Bruxelles. His work focuses on restoration and sustainable management of the miombo ecosystem in Haut-Katanga and Lualaba, with deep experience working with local communities on forestry, ecological restoration, and sustainable charcoal and woodland management programmes.
David O'Halloran
David has over 20 years’ experience in energy, power and agribusiness, primarily in Africa. He has worked both for multinationals and start-up ventures and focused on initiating and developing new power businesses with the likes of Shell and AES. He co-founded and runs a leading fruit production and processing business, africaJUICE, for which he has raised multiple rounds of debt and equity financing. David holds an MBA from IMD Switzerland and an engineering degree from UCG, Ireland.
Harry van Neer
Harry has over 20 years' experience in business development and new venture startup, working in emerging economies across the globe. He is a founding director of BusinessMinds and, since its inception, has been developing and investing in sustainable businesses, including various carbon-focused ventures from biofuels, landfill gas and reforestation to a carbon rating agency.
Where We Work
Carbon Ventures Africa is currently developing reforestation projects in the DR Congo, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Nigeria.
Join Us in Restoring Africa's Forests
Whether you're a buyer of verified carbon removal credits, an investor in carbon project, a technical partner, or simply passionate about climate action, we'd love to hear from you.
“We are not doing this for ourselves. We are restoring our forests for our children and our children’s children.”Chef Raymond, Kibundu community forest, southeastern DR Congo