The KAYA Lab
“The KAYA Lab is more than an experimental space – it’s a place where we bring ideas to life, turning degraded land into thriving ecosystems while supporting local livelihoods”
– Rupa Oscar Amaya | Site Manager
The KAYA Lab, a groundbreaking initiative in Malanje, Angola, serves as a foundation for our future projects across the region. Covering more than 200 hectares, it features experimental plots where we cultivate native tree and plant species chosen for our reforestation and agroforestry initiatives.
The Lab’s strategic location is ideal for practical trials of ecosystem and biodiversity restoration techniques which can later be scaled up to other areas.
The KAYA Lab, a groundbreaking initiative in Malanje, Angola, serves as a foundation for our future projects across the region. Covering more than 200 hectares, it features experimental plots where we cultivate native tree and plant species chosen for our reforestation and agroforestry initiatives.
“The KAYA Lab is more than an experimental space – it’s a place where we bring ideas to life, turning degraded land into thriving ecosystems while supporting local livelihoods”
– Rupa Oscar Amaya | Site Manager
The Lab’s strategic location is ideal for practical trials of ecosystem and biodiversity restoration techniques which can later be scaled up to other areas.
The KAYA Lab was created to ensure that our reforestation and agroforestry strategies are scientifically verified and adapted to Angola’s environmental and socio-economic conditions before large-scale implementation.
By evaluating different native tree species, forest combinations, and regenerative farming techniques, the Lab provides a foundation for effective and sustainable land restoration. It is home to the primary nursery, while additional subsidiary nurseries will be established near to each project area.
The site is dedicated to cultivating native and high ecologic value tree species for reforestation and regenerative agroforestry initiatives.
Its nursery currently nurtures thousands of seedlings, playing a crucial role in afforestation efforts and biodiversity restoration. We aim to collect millions of seedlings over the next 12 to 20 years.
A wide variety of crops are grown at the KAYA Lab using the principles of syntropic agriculture and dynamic agroforestry practices. These include coffee, avocado, mango, banana, mandioca and corn.
Within the nursery’s agroforestry test plots, fruit trees, timber species, and crops are integrated into multifunctional landscapes using dynamic agroforestry principles.
The primary objective is to identify the most effective plant combinations that enhance soil fertility, optimise productivity, and strengthen climate resilience.
The KAYA Lab is an educational hub in farming practices; a valuable asset for local farmers, NGOs and other stakeholders. We regularly host workshops promoting sustainable land-use practices and income-generating opportunities.
All stakeholders are invited to witness first-hand how KAYA’s projects evolve at different stages. By witnessing these systems in action, local farmers can gain confidence in adopting agroforestry techniques, understanding the long-term benefits of integrating trees, crops, and sustainable land management practices into their own fields.
This hands-on approach fosters engagement and facilitates knowledge transfer, ensuring that KAYA’s impact extends beyond its experimental grounds.
The KAYA Lab is an educational hub in farming practices; a valuable asset for local farmers, NGOs and other stakeholders. We regularly host workshops promoting sustainable land-use practices and income-generating opportunities.
All stakeholders are invited to witness first-hand how KAYA’s projects evolve at different stages. By witnessing these systems in action, local farmers can gain confidence in adopting agroforestry techniques, understanding the long-term benefits of integrating trees, crops, and sustainable land management practices into their own fields.
This hands-on approach fosters engagement and facilitates knowledge transfer, ensuring that KAYA’s impact extends beyond its experimental grounds.
By prioritising local employment and capacity building, the KAYA Lab fosters sustainable job opportunities, strengthens community engagement, and ensures long-term support for ecological restoration efforts.
The KAYA Lab employs a dedicated field team, primarily composed of individuals from surrounding communities who have been trained in sustainable agriculture techniques.
These local workers play a key role in land preparation, seed selection, nursery management, and agroforestry system development.
Learn more about how and why we aim to inform and involve local people throughout the development of our projects:
The KAYA Lab employs a dedicated field team, primarily composed of individuals from surrounding communities who have been trained in sustainable agriculture techniques.
These local workers play a key role in land preparation, seed selection, nursery management, and agroforestry system development.
By prioritising local employment and capacity building, the KAYA Lab fosters sustainable job opportunities, strengthens community engagement, and ensures long-term support for ecological restoration efforts.
Learn more about how and why we aim to inform and involve local people throughout the development of our projects:
At KAYA, our work is guided by principles to help create meaningful and lasting impact in our conservation and restoration efforts. We are committed to an ethical, inclusive, and sustainable approach, ensuring that our actions benefit both people and nature for generations to come.
We believe in working in harmony with the environment and communities, valuing local knowledge, cultural diversity, and the intrinsic connection between people and nature.
1. Harmony
Harmony conveys a vision of balance and cooperation, embodying the idea that real progress comes from working in alignment with the natural world to achieve enduring positive outcomes. We abide by the need for the utmost care in promoting natural regeneration of ecosystems, and we are committed to fostering a harmonious coexistence between people and nature through scalable, nature-based solutions that ensure lasting impact in the areas that need it most.
2. Empowerment
To help local people break free from cycles of poverty, KAYA intends to stick around for the long haul. Through capacity building and the long-term effects of ecological conversation and restoration, we aspire to create alternative livelihoods and autonomy. Project development on a landscape-scale requires trust and cooperation between the project developer and local people, who must feel empowered in order to maintain that trust.
3. Inclusiveness
KAYA believes in the importance of carefully ensuring local voices are heard – but not just the loudest voices. Considering marginalised groups and people within local communities, and adhering to important guidelines on free, prior and informed consent wherever needed is vitally important. For a holistic, long-term and landscape-scale nature project to succeed, everyone affected must have a chance to have their say.
4. Solid Science
KAYA’s team is replete with experience and is home to a veritable fountain of knowledge on the latest learnings in reforestation, agroforestry, greenhouse gas emissions, Earth observation science, fire management techniques and more. We ensure this knowledge is applied liberally on our projects to create lasting positive impacts on climate, biodiversity and communities.
5. Adaptability
KAYA intends to implement nature-based solutions projects over a period of not just years, but decades, to successfully help regions in sub-Saharan Africa mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. This means helping the environment and local people adapt and increase resilience, but it also demands of KAYA to be adaptable to tackle the unpredictable and changeable nature of the challenges we face. By being flexible in response to environmental, financial, regulatory, and social challenges, and harnessing the experience we gather along the way, we can ensure the success, scalability, and sustainability of our initiatives.
6. Integrity & Transparency
KAYA acknowledges trust issues that have arisen around carbon markets and carbon offsetting and actively seeks to inform and involve regulatory bodies and the public at every stage of the project’s development. Accountability is vital in demonstrating not only what KAYA is doing, but in ensuring integrity and affirming our vision and our passion towards creating a more prosperous, greener planet.
7. Passion & Commitment
KAYA was borne of the vision of its leadership, who created KAYA with a clear mission to bring positive change to the regions that need it most. This motivation rings true throughout the KAYA team who are fully aligned on the company’s goals.
At KAYA, our work is guided by principles to help create meaningful and lasting impact in our conservation and restoration efforts. We are committed to an ethical, inclusive, and sustainable approach, ensuring that our actions benefit both people and nature for generations to come.
1. Harmony
Harmony conveys a vision of balance and cooperation, embodying the idea that real progress comes from working in alignment with the natural world to achieve enduring positive outcomes. We abide by the need for the utmost care in promoting natural regeneration of ecosystems, and we are committed to fostering a harmonious coexistence between people and nature through scalable, nature-based solutions that ensure lasting impact in the areas that need it most.
2. Empowerment
To help local people break free from cycles of poverty, KAYA intends to stick around for the long haul. Through capacity building and the long-term effects of ecological conversation and restoration, we aspire to create alternative livelihoods and autonomy. Project development on a landscape-scale requires trust and cooperation between the project developer and local people, who must feel empowered in order to maintain that trust.
3. Inclusiveness
KAYA believes in the importance of carefully ensuring local voices are heard – but not just the loudest voices. Considering marginalised groups and people within local communities, and adhering to important guidelines on free, prior and informed consent wherever needed is vitally important. For a holistic, long-term and landscape-scale nature project to succeed, everyone affected must have a chance to have their say.
4. Solid Science
KAYA’s team is replete with experience and is home to a veritable fountain of knowledge on the latest learnings in reforestation, agroforestry, greenhouse gas emissions, Earth observation science, fire management techniques and more. We ensure this knowledge is applied liberally on our projects to create lasting positive impacts on climate, biodiversity and communities.
5. Adaptability
KAYA intends to implement nature-based solutions projects over a period of not just years, but decades, to successfully help regions in sub-Saharan Africa mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. This means helping the environment and local people adapt and increase resilience, but it also demands of KAYA to be adaptable to tackle the unpredictable and changeable nature of the challenges we face. By being flexible in response to environmental, financial, regulatory, and social challenges, and harnessing the experience we gather along the way, we can ensure the success, scalability, and sustainability of our initiatives.
6. Integrity & Transparency
KAYA acknowledges trust issues that have arisen around carbon markets and carbon offsetting and actively seeks to inform and involve regulatory bodies and the public at every stage of the project’s development. Accountability is vital in demonstrating not only what KAYA is doing, but in ensuring integrity and affirming our vision and our passion towards creating a more prosperous, greener planet.
7. Passion & Commitment
KAYA was borne of the vision of its leadership, who created KAYA with a clear mission to bring positive change to the regions that need it most. This motivation rings true throughout the KAYA team who are fully aligned on the company’s goals.
We believe in working in harmony with the environment and communities, valuing local knowledge, cultural diversity, and the intrinsic connection between people and nature.
