By Aiah Marrah, Director of MAFO
Community at the Heart of Climate Action: How MAFO is restoring forests and building resilient livelihoods in Sierra Leone
A Landscape Worth Protecting
In the forests of northern Sierra Leone, communities are demonstrating that the most effective climate solutions are built by the people who depend on the land every day.
Climate change is putting increasing pressure on rural communities across Sierra Leone. Communities that depend on forests for food, water, and livelihoods are particularly vulnerable.
Mansofinia, one of the largest communities in Falaba District, Sierra Leone, supports rich biodiversity and the growth of cocoa and coffee. However, growing environmental pressures are increasing the need for community-led conservation efforts to both protect natural resources and improve livelihoods.
The Response
The Movement Against Food Insecurity Organization (MAFO) is a community-based organization proving that lasting environmental change begins with strengthening communities to act.
MAFO is an agricultural, education, and health-focused civil society organization dedicated to improving the lives of marginalized communities. Its work recognizes that climate resilience, food security, biodiversity conservation, and economic opportunity are interconnected. MAFO works alongside women farmers to strengthen local capacity, improve agricultural productivity, and promote sustainable economic opportunities.
Community-led Solutions
MAFO’s climate resilience model facilitates community ownership at every stage to ensure that interventions reflect local priorities.
We work on capacity strengthening of local women farmers and communities through a cooperative model, using climate-change-informed agricultural improvement practices, local processing of products, and a systems-based approach to create strategic marketing connections. We recently supported 45 women in the Falaba District with forest trees to do agroforestry.
MAFO strengthens community collaboration and builds local awareness of conservation, biodiversity, and natural resources. Communities in Mansofinia are taking ownership of forest conservation and protecting biodiversity with MAFO providing facilitation support. Guided by local conservation practices, MAFO promotes the protection of biodiversity and wildlife habitats and increased environmental awareness across the community.
Building Strong Community Partnerships
MAFO’s approach is founded on collaboration, recognizing that lasting climate action depends on strong partnerships with local communities. MAFO provides technical advice and practical training on climate-smart agriculture, reforestation, and habitat restoration. We mobilize resources to support community-prioritized climate initiatives and strengthen local capacity for sustainable natural resource management.
MAFO’s experience shows that sustainable climate action is most effective when communities are the architects of development. Our participatory approach fosters trust and transparency. When local people lead, they become stewards of forests, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods.
Featured Photo: Tenaselia Neya Chiefdom, Kono District women on agro forestry supported by MAFO, June 2026.