Nature for Peace Mechanism for Ecosystem Restoration and Community Resilience
Background
The Nature for Peace Mechanism for Productive Restoration and Community Resilience addresses climate change impacts and ecosystem degradation in the Caquetá Soil and Water Conservation District located in Belén de los Andaquíes, Colombia. The region faces deforestation and biodiversity loss which threaten both environmental integrity and community resilience.
This initiative aligns with Colombia’s climate goals under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), contributing to mitigation and adaptation through forest restoration, carbon sequestration and sustainable land management. It complements national instruments such as the National Climate Change Policy and the National Adaptation Plan and engages regional entities like Corpoamazonia to ensure effective landscape management.
The project responds to gaps in inclusive implementation by engaging 36 smallholder cocoa producers in voluntary conservation agreements. It promotes agroforestry and silvopastoral systems, enhances soil and water health and supports livelihoods. Through a multi-stakeholder approach it strengthens local governance and builds capacity for nature-based solutions, contributing to Colombia’s climate, biodiversity and peacebuilding objectives.
The Nature for Peace Mechanism is being considered for registration as a non-market approach under Article 6.8 of the Paris Agreement.
Activities
The Nature for Peace Mechanism is coordinated by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, in collaboration with local and national partners including the municipality of Belén de los Andaquíes, Asproabelen, Corpoamazonia, and the Colombian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development.
Core interventions include:
Voluntary conservation agreements with 36 smallholder cocoa producers to protect and restore forest ecosystems.
Training programs on sustainable land management, agroforestry, biodiversity monitoring, and climate resilience.
Implementation of low-emission agroforestry and silvopastoral systems to improve soil health, water regulation, and carbon sequestration.
Capacity building for local governance and community organizations to strengthen environmental stewardship.
Mobilization of finance through Colombia’s Works for Taxes mechanism, enabling private sector investment in ecosystem restoration.
Continuous monitoring and evaluation systems to track environmental and social outcomes, ensuring transparency and adaptive management. The project targets multiple parts of the food system:
Crops: Cocoa agroforestry systems that diversify production and enhance food security.
Livestock: Silvopastoral systems that integrate trees into grazing lands, improving productivity and reducing environmental impacts.
Land use: Restoration of degraded forest landscapes and prevention of deforestation. By integrating environmental, social, and economic dimensions, the project contributes to Colombia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and aligns with the National Adaptation Plan (PNACC) and the Política Nacional para la Gestión Integral de la Biodiversidad y sus Servicios Ecosistémicos (PNGIBSE). It promotes inclusive, sustainable food systems and peacebuilding in a climate-vulnerable region.
Impact
The Nature for Peace Mechanism for Productive Restoration and Community Resilience supports Colombia’s implementation of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and the National Policy for the Integrated Management of Biodiversity and its Ecosystem Services (PNGIBSE). It advances mitigation and adaptation targets by restoring forest cover, enhancing carbon sequestration and reducing emissions from deforestation. Through agroforestry and silvopastoral systems, the project improves soil health, water regulation and food security, thus promoting agriculture that is resilient amidst climate change.
The initiative contributes to biodiversity restoration by conserving tropical rainforest ecosystems in the Caquetá region and engaging local communities in voluntary conservation agreements. It strengthens policy integration by aligning with national climate and biodiversity policies and fosters institutional capacity through multi-stakeholder collaboration among government agencies, civil society and research institutions. The use of the Works for Taxes mechanism also mobilizes private sector finance, creating an enabling environment for long-term climate action and sustainable development.