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Poverty Reduction through Improved Natural Resources Management in the Pastaza River Basin, Peru-Ecuador

Case Study C0258
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DateSeptember 2006
AgencyWWF Perú and Fundación Natura
Donor/support agencyDGIS
WWF Switzerland
MacArthur Foundation
EcoCiencia
University of Kent
Project typeImplemented by agency
Context(s)Productive landscape
Protected area
Geographic coverageSouth America
LocalityPastaza River Basin, Peru and Ecuador
Biodiversity focusWatershed ecosystem
Development focusLocal communities
Conservation goalsProtect the ecosystem of the Pastaza River Basin
Poverty reduction goalsImprove livelihood opportunities and general welfare in priority communities in the Pastaza River Basin

Summary
The Pastaza river is 500 kilometres long and runs from the Ecuadorian Andes to the Peruvian Amazon region. The population consists mainly of Achuar, Quechua and Kandozi communities. They depend basically on fishing, hunting and gathering. The major threat to their way of life comes from oil companies. The river basin is very rich in biodiversity. The programme Poverty reduction through improved natural resources management in the Pastaza river basin runs from 2004 to 2007 and aims to:

- improve livelihood opportunities and general welfare in priority communities in the Pastaza River Basin, by supporting community efforts to effectively and sustainably manage natural resources and improve water quality information and awareness, enabling these communities to safeguard ecosystems that harbour critical subsistence resources upon which they are so dependent;

- implement a participatory water quality monitoring system (PWQMS);

- improve sustainable natural resource management and conservation practices across the Pastaza River Basin;

- increase the capacity of targeted civil society groups to participate and take action in the management of freshwater and forest ecosystems and influence local, national and international policies and planning processes.

Conservation impact
This project has achieved significant results in conservation of hydrobiological resources.

Poverty reduction impact
Thanks to this project livelihood opportunities and general welfare of the local communities are being improved, and there has been an important increase in financial benefits.

Strategy for Conservation/Poverty Linkages
Enabling local participation in policy-/decision- making processes
Sustainable Use

Reference 1
http://assets.panda.org/downloads/tmfperuequjune05.pdf

Reference 2
http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/policy/macro_economics/our_solutions/poverty/natural_resources/index.cfm

More information
Aldo Soto, WWF Perú
Cristina Rosero, Fundación Natura Ecuador

 

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