Sustainable management of natural resources in Ecuador

Ecuador is one of the 17 most megadiverse countries in the world. Páramos, a high Andean mountain ecosystem underpinning key ecosystem services, supply water, act as carbon sinks, and provide habitats for endemic species, many of which carry high economic value. They also play an important role in the tourism and recreation sectors. However, páramos are threatened by climate change and the expansion of cropping and grazing areas, as well as unsustainable management of natural resources in general. In the Chimborazo province, this has resulted in a marked decrease in water quantity and quality entering the province’s river basins, as well as an increase in negative social and economic impacts on local communities.

About the project

The PROMAREN project that was executed by the Decentralized Autonomous Government of the Province of Chimborazo through an operational execution agreement, sought to strengthen the local capacity for the sustainable management of natural resources and improve livelihoods. Stakeholders and beneficiaries of the project included the Quimiag, Candelaria and other communities in the Chimborazo province, as well as local and provincial authorities. 

FAO expertise was influential in developing local capacities for the capture and shearing of vicuña. The vicuña, a wild camelid native to South America and a relative of the Llama, is highly valued due to its fine wool, which is knitted into garments and fetches high prices on the market.

Good practices for the project's success 

Drive participatory stakeholder engagement to leverage local know-how and bolster project sustainability

PROMAREN succeeded in actively involving a high number of stakeholders and local communities. For example, 111 communities participated in the management and co-management of five micro-watersheds through a participatory approach favoring dialogue and mutual agreement between the Decentralized Autonomous Government of the Province of Chimborazo and the communities themselves. This result greatly surpassed the initial target of involving 30 communities. Any project aimed at enhancing the livelihoods of vulnerable communities should view them as more than mere beneficiaries. Stakeholders feel empowered ensuring that their knowledge and understanding contributes to project’s goals, approaches and expected outcomes. Participatory approaches are an invaluable ‘bottom-up’ tool which can greatly contribute to securing the long-term sustainability of a project’s outcomes.

Foster gender equality and women’s empowerment to drive inclusive change

It succeeded in safeguarding the páramos’ natural resources, ensuring the gender equality is both an essential element in the progress towards the SDGs and a basic human right. In order to be sustainable, our agriculture and natural resource management systems must ensure equality of voice, agency and access to resources and services between women and men. PROMAREN adopted this approach by ensuring female stakeholders were empowered and involved in the decision-making processes. Women interviewed during the evaluation said they believed they had been able to significantly contribute to the positive outcomes of the project. The evaluation also found that PROMAREN facilitated a high level of training of female leaders in the communities involved.

Establish compensation mechanisms for environmental services to improve livelihoods

Under the PROMAREN project, a compensation mechanism for environmental services was piloted in the micro-basin of the Blanco River. This contributed to reaching a multi-stakeholder agreement between local communities, institutions and private companies, which ensures the gathering of compensation funding for the realization of environmental initiatives in the micro-basin. 79 other compensation agreements for páramos conservation with landowners were also signed. By establishing fair and effective compensation mechanisms, projects can ensure the continued and sustainable flow of ecosystem services, benefitting land and resource owners and the environment.