Sofía Tenorio Fenton
In 2010, an IFAD project that aimed to
improve the living conditions of poor people in forested areas of the southern
and southeastern parts of Mexico was created - the Community-Based Forestry
Development Project, also known as FIDA-Sur.
Working with the Mexican Government and managed
by the National Forestry Commission, the IFAD project focuses on forestry
development. Currently, thanks to additional support given by the Global
Environmental Facility (GEF), FIDA-Sur is also working to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions.
The project concentrates efforts on 25
communities in the Campeche, Chiapas and Oaxaca regions. Here the most
immediate threats to smallholder livelihoods are forest fires, pests, changes
in land use leading to forest resource depletion and GHG emissions.
FIDA-Sur is working to improve the
livelihoods of smallholder farmers within the region.
Farmers are no strangers to long hours of
hard work. They grow the food that will sustain them and their families, with the
hope of producing enough excess to trade in markets.
For them, the problem is finding out the
best methods to survive with the resources they have at their disposal. Human pressure on forest resources are
exacerbating deforestation in the area, which in turn creates devastating
conditions especially for those least able to adapt.
FIDA-Sur tries to reach communities that
for various reasons haven’t been able to access government assistance. Such is
the case for those with no property rights or appropriate land documentation.
The project prioritizes those who are more vulnerable, such as women, youth,
and the landless.
FIDA-Sur’s support includes the supply of firewood-saving
stoves, rainwater harvesting apparatus, greenhouses, agroforestry modules,
community nurseries, and other activities. This is helping forest areas
recover.
Through FIDA-Sur, people in the region are improving their access to basic needs without damaging
the surrounding environment. This means better, more sustainable forest
management and better climate change mitigation.
Woodlands play a crucial role in weather
regulation. FIDA-Sur is a bright hope and a viable strategy to reduce the
effects of climate change by promoting better use and conservation of natural resources.
0 comments