The search engine Ecosia and several NGOs are using a technique for reforestation called "Foxhole" to plant trees, and ultimately forests, in grasslands.
The technique is to dig out the grass in circles, seed legumes (pigeon pea in their case), pioneer, and other tree species in there. The method is cheaper than transplanting nursery-grown saplings, and has a higher success rate.
Planting trees in grasslands is always difficult, as the root competition is difficult for the trees in the first few years.
Here the video