Conservation of watershed and development of agro enterprises in southwestern Colombia
Case Study C0033
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| Date | 2002 |
| Agency | CIPASLA- ASOBESURCA |
| Donor/support agency | Colombia's National Agency for Integrated Rural Development (DRI) UN HABITAT and others |
| Project type | Implemented by agency |
| Context(s) | Community conserved area |
| Geographic coverage | Colombia |
| Locality | Pescador region |
| Biodiversity focus | Ecosystem/Landscape |
| Development focus | 6500 people living in Cabuyal watershed |
| Conservation goals | Conservation of Cabuyal watershed |
| Poverty reduction goals | Reduce poverty of local people |
Summary
Pescador region in southwest Colombia is one of the country's poorest regions and forms part of Cabuyal watershed. Around 6500 people live in the watershed area, which covers 7000 hectares in 23 rural districts of the region. As this is a hilly region, most of the people practice agriculture on steepy slopes in small farms. Not so long back, farming families were facing economic hardship, lack of education, health and credit services, inadequate agricultural infrastructure and food supply in the summer. Farmers practised monoculture and cut trees to sell and produce charcoal as an additional source of income. It led to soil erosion and loss of agricultural productivity. Concerned with these problems, Colombia's national agency for integrated Rural Development (DRI) started an initiative to bring all the stakeholders together for the development of the watershed. An inter institutional consortium for sustainable agriculture in hillsides (CIPASLA) was constituted with an alliance between 16 government, nongovernmental organisations and community. A group known as ASOBESURCA representing different communities of the watershed was established. It represented communities on the board of CIPASLA. Resource map and management plan of the watershed was created with the help of communities. Farmers created buffer zones to protect water sources, built wire fences around mountain springs, planted tress and a new variety of summer resistant grass to check soil erosion. They set aside 120 hectares of land and were in the process of fencing off another 60 hectare for the conservation of catchment area. Different research committees from the community were established to diversify agriculture. Soon these committees came up with certain species like plaintan, blackberries, new varieties of banana, bean and cassava, which were successful in the local conditions. These crops diversified agriculture and increased productivity and food security. CIPASALA also arranged loans for small agro enterprises. A women's cooperative was formed which commercialised a native flower. Likewise, group of people were trained and assisted in establishing a milk and cheese enterprise. All these activities have increased food security and income of the people. Pressure on the local forest has been reduced and watershed is better conserved.
Conservation impact
Watershed is better conserved.
Poverty reduction impact
Diversified agriculture have increased productivity and food security. New agro enterprises have increased the income.
Strategy for Conservation/Poverty Linkages
Ecoagriculture
Provision of alternative livelihoods
Enabling local participation in policy-/decision- making processes
Reference 1
http://www.undp.org/equatorinitiative/secondary/equator_prize2002.htm#colombia
Reference 2
http://www.tve.org/ho/doc.cfm?aid=1321
More information
Consorcio Interinstitucional para una Agricultura Sostenible en Laderas (CIPASLA), A.A. 1972, Departamento del Cauca, Popayán, Colombia; Tel/Fax: (57-928) 267016