As part of the GCF–Visión Amazonía project, a total of 69 Indigenous projects were submitted from six departments within the colombian Amazon : Amazonas, Caquetá, Guainía, Guaviare, Putumayo, and Vaupés. These initiatives aim to strengthen territorial governance, sustainable forest management, and the well-being of Indigenous communities, integrating traditional knowledge and conservation approaches.

The distribution of projects by department was defined autonomously and through consensus by Indigenous Peoples and organizations, in accordance with the criteria established in MRA 105 (April 2025). In total, 19 projects were submitted in Vaupés, 18 in Guainía, 15 in Putumayo, 8 in Guaviare, 6 in Caquetá, and 3 in Amazonas.

A participatory process led by Indigenous Peoples

The call for proposals was carried out through a participatory process that ensured the direct involvement of Indigenous Peoples, from the design stage to the formulation of project proposals.

The process began with the approval of the Terms of Reference during MRA 105 in April 2025, which formally recognized the direct participation of Indigenous Peoples in the call. Subsequently, OPIAC shared the technical guidelines with Indigenous organizations, and departmental meetings were held to agree on the distribution of resources and to present the participation criteria.

Between May and September 2025, technical information sessions and support spaces were organized to assist with the development of project proposals. Finally, the projects were submitted and validated through the Support and Monitoring Platform (PAS). This process consolidated Amazonian Indigenous Peoples as central actors in the implementation of the Indigenous component of the project.

Thematic areas of the projects

The proposals were developed mainly within the framework of the Indigenous Pillar of the Visión Amazonía Program (PIVA) and Output 2: Sustainable Forest Management with an Indigenous perspective of the GCF–Visión Amazonía project.

Ninety-eight percent of the projects focus on forest management with an Indigenous perspective, including actions such as:

• strengthening ecological calendars and biocultural indicators based on Indigenous knowledge systems;

• characterization and zoning of forest use areas, as well as strengthening traditional production systems such as chagras;

• support for traditional environmental monitoring linked to life plans and territorial management plans;

• promotion of artisanal and productive initiatives related to fruits, seeds, essences, oils, and natural dyes;

• strengthening Indigenous norms and protocols for the conservation and sustainable use of the territory.

Indigenous women: leadership and participation

A gender-responsive approach is a key component of these initiatives. Nearly 90 percent of the projects include actions aimed at empowering and strengthening the participation of Indigenous women and generations, in line with Activity 3.2 of the project.

Overall, 44 of the 69 projects are led by Indigenous women, and 49 initiatives include activities aimed at strengthening Indigenous women and families. In addition, eight women were identified as legal representatives of Indigenous organizations, and women also participate in key roles such as project formulation, coordination, administration, and accounting.