Raising public awareness of environmental and natural resource conservation issues is a challenge that requires long-term processes to strengthen capacities and generate knowledge in key sectors and actors in the country to protect our forests and produce sustainably.

The Amazon Forest Conservation and Sustainable Production Program (PROAmazonía), led by the Ministry of Environment and Water (MAAE), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) and with the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), contributes to the implementation of the REDD+ Action Plan (REDD+ AP), a public policy established by Ecuador to respond to the challenges of climate change, which are related to the reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from deforestation and degradation. The REDD+ AP promotes the conservation of forest resources and production towards environmentally sustainable practices.

PROAmazonía, with the strategic support of the MAAE, the MAG and the UNDP has a Capacity Building Strategy that has been operational since 2019. This has been generated according to the needs identified in the program, the actors with whom it works and according to its own territorial intervention planning.

Through the incorporation of the gender and intercultural approach in the capacity building processes promoted by PROAmazonía, we have contributed to the generation of opportunities for the full and effective participation of women, men, youth, indigenous peoples and nationalities and rural communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon (geographical areas of territorial intervention of the program).

The implementation of the PROAmazonía Capacity Building Strategy has been carried out according to four thematic axes considered in each of the program’s strategic components, namely:

 

Component 1. Policies and Inter-institutionalism

Component 2. Transition to sustainable production systems

Component 3. Sustainable Forest Management, Conservation and Restoration

Component 4. REDD+ and financing.

 

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During 2020, PROAmazonía contributed to strengthening the capacities of 1,967 people, of which 58% were men and 42% women. 62 training events were held in the provinces of Pichincha, Napo, Morona Santiago, Pastaza, Sucumbíos, Zamora Chinchipe and Loja.

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There were several topics addressed in these training processes, among which the following stand out:

 

• Land Management Plans with a focus on conservation, sustainable production, gender and interculturality
• Life plans; Local Information Systems (LIS)
• Diagnostic tools of the Organizational Partner reality; associative strengthening with a gender perspective
• Dendrology and wood anatomy
• Programmatic, administrative-financial procedures for Competitive Funds
• Non-timber forest products
• Climate change, REDD+ forests
• REDD+ social and environmental safeguards
• Sustainable finance
• Indigenous territorial governance
• Regulations and legal framework for conservation and sustainable production

 

Each of these topics was addressed through training processes in different modalities, considering the characteristics of the target groups and generating strategic alliances with institutes of higher education and other key organizations.

In the case of Component 1: Policies and Inter-institutionalism, a total of 240 people were trained; 94 women and 146 men. The participants were: The Decentralized Autonomous Governments (GAD) of the Amazon, and Amazonian indigenous peoples, communities and nationalities.

From Component 2: Transition to sustainable production systems, 95 people (59 women and 36 men) received capacity building. Among the main participants are the GAD, the PROAmazonía team, associations of coffee, cocoa, palm and livestock producers.

Component 3: Sustainable Forest Management, Conservation and Restoration, trained a total of 306 people, 109 women and 197 men. The main participants were: MAAE, Water Funds, PROAmazonía, communities, peoples and nationalities of the Amazon.

Finally, from Component 4 of REDD+ and Financing, 1,326 people (569 women and 757 men) received capacity building. The participants in these processes were diverse, the team from PROAmazonía, MAAE, Water Funds, communities, peoples and nationalities of the Amazon, members of the REDD+ Working Table [1] (third period), CTEA, FAO, CONFENIAE, among other organizations.

During 2021, it is estimated that a total of approximately 1,500 people will be trained

Photography: Fernanda Proaño

Description: Students of the Indigenous Territorial Governance Program. Tena, Napo province (March 2020)

 

Description: Graduation event of the Indigenous Territorial Governance Program. Authorities present from MAAE, MAG, UNDP,

PROAmazonía, IKIAM, CONFENIAE, GAD Provincial Napo, Forest Trends (March 2020).

 

[1] The REDD+ Working Table, according to Ministerial Agreement No. 049 issued by the Ministry of Environment, is a formal platform for dialogue, participation, discussion, consultation, follow-up, and involvement of key stakeholders in the processes carried out by the Ministry of Environment and Water for the implementation of REDD+ at the national level, within the framework of the REDD+ Action Plan, Bosques para el Buen Vivir 2016 – 2025.

Author: Fernanda Proaño, Technician in Capacity Building and Knowledge Management at PROAmazonía.