Conservation and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources Project (KfW–HECO) – Herencia Colombia

• Promoting Sustainable Livestock Farming for Conservation in the Amazon.
• The project will benefit 130 producers in areas adjacent to National Natural Parks, impacting a minimum of 195 hectares by promoting sustainable livestock production systems in zones bordering protected areas.

 

Florencia, Caquetá. February 17, 2026. In the heart of the Colombian Amazon, specifically in the departments of Caquetá and Putumayo, a strategic initiative has emerged to balance livestock production with the conservation of essential ecosystems. This proposal targets 130 small-scale producers located near protected areas. The initiative is led by Corporación colombiana de investigación agropecuaria – AGROSAVIA, in partnership with National Natural Parks of Colombia and Patrimonio Natural. This ambitious initiative is part of the Herencia Colombia Project, financed by the Government of Germany through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the KfW Development Bank. Within this framework, the “Territorial Engagement Plan for the Promotion of Sustainable Livestock Systems” will be implemented.

The initiative focuses on the buffer zones of two areas of high biological importance: Alto Fragua Indi Wasi National Natural Park (Caquetá) and the Orito Ingi Ande Medicinal Plants Flora Sanctuary (Putumayo). The primary objective is to support farming families in transition towards sustainable, climate-resilient livestock models compatible with the conservation of the Andean–Amazonian Landscape.

Among the fundamental purposes of protected areas is the reduction of direct pressures exerted not only within their boundaries but also in their areas of influence, particularly those inhabited by peasant communities, as well as in territories overlapping with Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities. This is to be achieved through cooperation and technical support mechanisms that promote improved living conditions and encourage sustainable resource-use practices within these territories.

To achieve this, the AGROSAVIA Florencia – Costayaco Research Center will implement the strategy through voluntary conservation agreements, whereby each producer commits to converting at least 1.5 hectares of pastureland on their property into sustainable systems, positively impacting a minimum total of 195 hectares. The actions include:

 

1. Specialized Technical Assistance: AGROSAVIA professionals will guide the implementation of nutritional and animal health plans, animal welfare practices, efficient resource management, and the adoption of practices such as silvopastoral systems, rotational grazing, installation of photovoltaic electric fencing, and the implementation of livestock water supply systems.

2. Capacity Building: Through workshops, knowledge-exchange sessions, and technical update events, producers’ knowledge and technical skills will be strengthened, reinforcing their competencies for sustainable livestock production.

3. Investment in Infrastructure and Sustainability: The project provides inputs, materials, and basic productive infrastructure to facilitate the transition from traditional production models to conservation-oriented livestock systems.

4. Complementary Ecological Restoration: Actions such as fencing and the protection of water sources are promoted to encourage passive restoration and the recovery of these and other ecologically significant areas, enhancing connectivity within the livestock landscape matrix and contributing to natural resource conservation.

 

All activities are governed by a rigorous Environmental and Social Management Framework that ensures compliance with high standards. This framework expressly prohibits the use of hazardous pesticides (listed under the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions) and the introduction of invasive exotic species, thereby safeguarding the biodiversity of these critical ecosystems.

In this way, AGROSAVIA contributes to improving the quality of life of agricultural sector populations living adjacent to protected areas, promoting their active participation in the adoption of environmentally sustainable production systems that support the protection of Natural Parks in Colombia.