Representatives of the public and private sectors and civil society from the states of Huila, Cesar, and Magdalena in Colombia launched the Produce, Preserve and Include Compacts (PPI) in September. With the support of IDH, the actions are aimed at integrating public policies, boosting sustainable production by considering the main sectors of the economy, conserving, and restoring native vegetation, as well as promoting the socioeconomic inclusion of family farming and traditional populations in a long-term landscape development model.
The Huila PPI Compact was formalized at the beginning of September, during the International Coffee, Cocoa, and Agrotourism Fair, in the city of Neiva. Following this, the states of Cesar and Magdalena also formalized the Compacts, in online events, with the presence of IDH’s Global Landscapes Director, Matthew Spencer, representatives of the State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO) of the Swiss Embassy in Colombia, the Ministry of Agriculture, State Agriculture Secretariats, among other guests. The Ambassador of the Netherlands in Colombia, Ernst Noorman, also attended the launch of the Magdalena Compact.
“The Compacts will support the states of Colombia in promoting sustainability in the territory, protecting ecosystems, and providing opportunities for small-scale farmers in the region,” stressed Matthew Spencer, IDH Global Landscapes Director.
Next steps
Besides considering the productive aspects, the compacts include strategies to improve the management, access, and conservation of water sources and to strengthen the participation of women, young people, and small-scale farmers in national and international markets in order to boost income and provide a better quality of life.
From now on, an action plan will be developed, in partnership with the Creer Foundation, to consolidate the governance structure, the investment agenda, and the goal monitoring system.