In total, there are 57,683 people located in the Pacific, Amazon, and Orinoquia regions of our country..
Bogota, May 19, 2023. With the aim of contributing to the fight against climate change and, at the same time, improving the quality of life of different communities, more than 7,500 indigenous and Afro-descendant families have been benefited and have materialized their vision of territorial, social, and economic development, thanks to the implementation of 11 REDD+ projects being carried out in collaboration with Biofix in three regions of Colombia.
The social contributions that these projects have provided to the communities are focused on strengthening institutional capacity and governance, education, healthcare, community infrastructure and housing, connectivity and communications, improvement of river and land transportation, and empowering indigenous women.
These families have implemented over 300 investment initiatives in their territories, prioritizing forest governance and addressing basic needs such as clean water, healthcare, and education, among others. (Read also: Kaliawiri REDD+ is a project that promotes sustainable development in indigenous territories.)
Similarly, aiming to strengthen the economy of the communities, these projects have implemented programs for the production, supply, and marketing of family agricultural units in traditional "conucos" and "chagras." The productive agricultural sector has been reinforced through the utilization of minor species, sustainable forest utilization has also been carried out in the transformation and commercialization of timber and non-timber products that are important to the communities. as well as diversification of productive systems for the establishment and commercialization of non-conventional agroforestry products from the region, and initiatives for community partnership, cooperation, and entrepreneurship, among others.
In terms of environmental conservation, these projects focus on carrying out participatory reforestation processes in degraded ecosystems, strengthening the monitoring and control program for deforestation and forest degradation, conserving wildlife, and promoting the planting of native species. (Read also: The importance of forests for Afro and indigenous communities.)
The total number of families. There are 4,552 Afro-descendant families who are members of Major Community Councils. They are mainly located in the municipalities of Bahía Solano, Juradó, Cantón de San Pablo, Cértegui, Lloró, López de Micay, Nóvita, and Guapi, in the departments of Chocó, Valle del Cauca, and Cauca. On the other hand, the more than 3,047 indigenous families associated with these projects, belong to Indigenous Reservations primarily located in the municipalities of Cumaribo, Puerto Inírida, and El Retorno, in the departments of Vichada, Guainía, and Guaviare, respectively.
Biofix will continue working in Colombia as a strategic actor contributing to the mitigation of the climate crisis through the development and implementation of initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that benefit the country and its communities.