Reviving Sleeping Land: What It Takes to Build Restoration Projects

At Thryve, our focus is on restoring “sleeping lands” by building high-quality, long-term nature-based projects. In the episode of The Nature Based Solutions Podcast, our Co-founder and CEO, Vinay Kulkarni, joins Dr. Murray Collins, Co-founder and CEO of Space Intelligence, to share what it really takes to make these projects work on the ground.

Drawing from our projects in Indonesia and India, the conversation moves beyond high-level narratives to the realities of early-stage project building. From navigating capital constraints to designing systems that farmers will adopt and sustain, Vinay shares a practical view of what it takes to move from idea to implementation. The discussion also touches on how the market is shifting. Our view is clear - credibility isn't built through certification or claims, but through the quality of relationships and systems you put in place before a single credit is issued.

‍Here's what the conversation covered:

1. Building with communities determines whether projects last

At the core of any successful restoration project is genuine community buy-in. This goes beyond initial onboarding and into long-term participation, where farmers see real value in continuing the work across years and even generations. Projects that are not rooted in local trust and engagement rarely sustain beyond the early years.

Integrity starts with us and our interactions first, even before we start talking about the project.

‍2. Early-stage capital remains one of the hardest challenges

‍Getting projects off the ground requires navigating real financial constraints, with no single solution to early-stage funding. In many cases, developers need to deploy their own balance sheet to initiate work, while grants or external funding play a supporting role. This reality shapes how projects are paced, designed, and scaled in the initial phases.

There is no silver bullet… you really have to figure out a way to arrange that cash to get that work going.

‍3. Farmer adoption matters more than carbon optimisation

‍Project design is ultimately driven by what farmers will adopt and sustain, not just by maximising carbon outcomes. In practice, carbon revenue is often only one part of the overall value, with agroforestry-based income playing a larger role in improving livelihoods. Designing with this balance in mind is key to building projects that are both viable and durable.

If they’re not bought in, then you’re not going to have a project that’s going to last more than three, four years.

‍

Explore the full conversation and see how we’re restoring “sleeping lands” across India and North Sulawesi.