GROWING GREEN: ELEVATING COMMUNITY PRACTICES FOR BIODIVERSITY AND CLIMATE-RESILIENT AGROECOSYSTEMS IN THE CAUCA VALLEY, COLOMBIA

THE CAUCA VALLEY LANDSCAPE IS LOCATED BETWEEN IN THE SOUTHWEST OF COLOMBIA BETWEEN THE WESTERN AND THE CENTRAL ANDES. IT IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS HIGH LEVELS OF BIODIVERSITY AND FERTILE AGRICULTURAL LAND.

HISTORICALLY THIS REGION HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY THROUGH THE EXPANSION OF AGRICULTURE AND CATTLE RANCHING.

THESE TWO ACTIVITIES REMAIN TO BE THE PRINCIPAL LAND USES IN RURAL AREAS AND POSE SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON BIODIVERSITY AS SEVERAL SPECIES HAVE GONE EXTINCT LOCALLY AND NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS HAVE BEEN LOST AND FRAGMENTED.SINCE 2021 AUDUBON HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN ACHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR THE CAUCA VALLEY THROUGH PROMOTING BIODIVERSITY FRIENDLY PRACTICES IN THE REGION BY MAKING THIS REGION A CENTRAL LOCATION FOR ITS AMBITIOUS REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE STRATEGY.

THIS STRATEGY UTILIZES NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS TO DELIVER A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT IS AIMED AT PROTECTING AND RESTORING PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPES.

THE PRIMARY GOAL OF AUDUBON IS TO CREATE HABITATS BY IMPLEMENTING BIRD FRIENDLY PRACTICES ROOTED IN AGROECOLOGY THAT CAN BOOST BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY WHILE PROMOTING ECONOMIC PRODUCTIVITY AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE FOR PRODUCERS.DESPITE THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF SUCH PRACTICES THE ADOPTION RATE HAS BEEN SLOW.

SEVERAL