The “Caquetá Eco – Territórios Económica e Ecologicamente Sustentáveis” ” project is taking place in the Department of Caquetá, in the rural municipalities of La Montañita, El Doncello and El Paujil. This region, located in the foothills of Colombia’s Andean Amazon, is characterised by its extraordinary natural wealth and beauty, although its history is marked by decades of conflict and violence, institutional exclusion and the influx of extractive and illegal economies (especially cocaine). Despite the signing of the Peace Accords in 2016 and the reintegration of many former FARC combatants, competition for the appropriation of territories previously dominated by the armed groups has allowed extensive cattle ranching and logging that have aggravated deforestation. Despite these challenges, local communities have shown remarkable resilience and an unwavering commitment to conserving their environment.

With the aim of consolidating and expanding the work carried out with the “Sustainable Caqueten Territories for Peace” project, this proposal aims to revitalise local economies based on the protection and sustainable use of biodiversity in Caquetá, through the management of strategic alliances, community empowerment and the strengthening of socio-entrepreneurial capacities, centred on sustainable economic development that benefits both local communities and the environment.

IMVF and AMVF puts its experience in the areas of rural development and tropical agriculture, strengthening civil society and local governments, as well as agro-industry and associations at the service of this project. Red Adelco, the local Colombian partner, is contributing its national experience in promoting local economic development.

OBJECTIVES:

General: to contribute to governance in the fields of climate transition, green transition and biodiversity protection in the Amazon, in the region of Caquetá, Colombia;

Specific: to help reduce the effects of climate change, preserve biodiversity and restore ecosystems by strengthening sustainable production practices, green energy and adding value to empower local communities..

TARGET GROUPS:

754 families – families associated with the production organisations that run the processing plants; families that produce agro-forestry products, with a special focus on cocoa; families from the villages surrounding the material-producing infrastructures.

Direct: 3,016 people (754 families) from the productive, social, reincorporation and infrastructure components and their families and communities.

Indirect: 2,500 people spread across the three municipalities of direct intervention.

RESULTS AND ACTIVITIES:

Expected Result 1: Rural communities embrace integrated agroforestry practices in a logic of ecosystem conservation and biodiversity preservation.

Alliances with civil society actors and local authorities will be strengthened in order to establish collective conservation agreements with producers, through a land-use planning model on farms. As a strategy for adapting to climate change, preserving biodiversity and restoring ecosystems, complementary crops will be integrated that promote productive diversification, soil improvement and food security.

Expected Result 2: Agroforestry product value chains with more sustainable business models incorporate production models that are sensitive to environmental issues.

At the processing plants, sustainable business models will be designed and implemented that include participatory investment plans for the adoption of climate resilience measures with the integration of renewable energies. At the same time, a strategy of exchange between producers and local authorities in Caquetá and municipalities with a Green City Agreement in Portugal will add value to local products, which will strengthen a commercial strategy of valorisation and promotion of local products from a Green Trade perspective.

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