How to sow peace? : a value chain approach for environmental peacebuilding in Sierra de la Macarena National Park, Colombia
(2020) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20201LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
- Abstract
- Ecological rehabilitation projects - as a form of reforestation interventions - are increasing worldwide and present an opportunity for climate change mitigation and supporting local livelihoods. Implemented in post-conflict situations, they are increasingly promoted as solutions for peace. Aiming at understanding their contributions to sustainability and peacebuilding, I examine proposed rehabilitation projects in Sierra de la Macarena National Park in the northern area of the Colombian Amazon by using the value-chain approach of environmental peacebuilding. By combining an analysis of social-environmental tensions around conflicts in the national park and a review of lessons learned from companies working with tree products in Colombia,... (More)
- Ecological rehabilitation projects - as a form of reforestation interventions - are increasing worldwide and present an opportunity for climate change mitigation and supporting local livelihoods. Implemented in post-conflict situations, they are increasingly promoted as solutions for peace. Aiming at understanding their contributions to sustainability and peacebuilding, I examine proposed rehabilitation projects in Sierra de la Macarena National Park in the northern area of the Colombian Amazon by using the value-chain approach of environmental peacebuilding. By combining an analysis of social-environmental tensions around conflicts in the national park and a review of lessons learned from companies working with tree products in Colombia, I answer how value chain considerations can improve rehabilitation projects to address social-ecological tensions. Then, drawing on environmental peacebuilding literature, I discuss the limitations and possibilities of value chain initiatives to address peacebuilding and forest conservation from a short and long-term sustainability perspective.
My findings show that close, long-term and interdependent relationships and a risk-sharing between farmers and partners are essential in creating value chains with tree products. Moreover, it is necessary to find trade-offs between the environmental and economic benefits of specific tree products within the rehabilitation interventions. These projects can contribute to peacebuilding by creating trust and cooperation with different parties and by providing alternative sources of income. However, solutions around land use and land rights must be created to overcome overall tensions within the protected area. Conservation agreements between the National Parks Agency and the farmers can be a first step in providing securities around future land rights and therefore present an incentive for sustainable land use. My thesis identifies that institutional requirements and lacking governmental support for tree product businesses hinder the rehabilitation projects. Thus, political factors need to be simultaneously addressed to create holistic and sustainable solutions for nature and people. (Less) - Abstract (Spanish)
- Los proyectos de rehabilitación ecológica - como una forma de intervenciones de reforestación - están aumentando en el mundo y presentan una oportunidad para la mitigación del cambio climático y el apoyo a los medios de vida locales. La aplicación de estos proyectos en situaciones de posconflicto se promueve cada vez más como soluciones para la construcción de paz. Con el fin de comprender sus contribuciones a la sostenibilidad y la consolidación de la paz, mi investigación examina los proyectos de rehabilitación propuestos en el Parque Nacional Natural Sierra de la Macarena, en la zona norte de la Amazonia colombiana, utilizando el enfoque de cadena de valor de construcción de paz y medio ambiente. La investigación combina un análisis de... (More)
- Los proyectos de rehabilitación ecológica - como una forma de intervenciones de reforestación - están aumentando en el mundo y presentan una oportunidad para la mitigación del cambio climático y el apoyo a los medios de vida locales. La aplicación de estos proyectos en situaciones de posconflicto se promueve cada vez más como soluciones para la construcción de paz. Con el fin de comprender sus contribuciones a la sostenibilidad y la consolidación de la paz, mi investigación examina los proyectos de rehabilitación propuestos en el Parque Nacional Natural Sierra de la Macarena, en la zona norte de la Amazonia colombiana, utilizando el enfoque de cadena de valor de construcción de paz y medio ambiente. La investigación combina un análisis de las tensiones socio-ambientales en torno a los conflictos en el parque nacional y una revisión de las lecciones aprendidas de empresas que trabajan con productos no-maderables del bosque en el país. Con base en este análisis, respondo cómo al considerar la cadena de valor de estos productos se puede mejorar los proyectos de rehabilitación para hacer frente a las tensiones socio-ecológicas existentes en el parque. Posteriormente, con base en la evidencia del campo académico environmental peacebuilding, examino las limitaciones y posibilidades de las iniciativas del enfoque de la cadena de valor para contribuir a la consolidación de la paz y la conservación de los bosques desde una perspectiva de sostenibilidad a corto y largo plazo.
Mis conclusiones muestran que las relaciones cercanas, a largo plazo e interdependientes, así como la distribución de riesgos entre los agricultores y los socios, son esenciales para crear cadenas de valor para productores no-maderables del bosque. Además, es necesario encontrar un balance entre los beneficios ambientales y económicos del tipo de productos no-maderables en las intervenciones de rehabilitación. Estos proyectos pueden contribuir a la consolidación de la paz creando confianza y cooperación con las diferentes partes y proporcionando fuentes alternativas de ingresos. Sin embargo, deben crearse soluciones en torno al uso y tenencia legal de la tierra para superar las tensiones generales dentro del área protegida. Los acuerdos de conservación entre Parques Nacionales y los agricultores pueden ser un primer paso para proporcionar seguridad en relación con los futuros derechos legales sobre la tierra y, por lo tanto, constituyen un incentivo para el uso sostenible de esta. Mi tesis identifica que los requisitos institucionales y la falta de apoyo gubernamental a las empresas que operan con productos no-maderables del bosque dificultan el desarrollo de los proyectos de rehabilitación. Por lo tanto, es necesario responder simultáneamente a los factores políticos para crear soluciones holísticas y sostenibles para la naturaleza y las personas. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9031350
- author
- Hegger, Kathrin Sybille LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- MESM02 20201
- year
- 2020
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- environmental peacebuilding, systems theory, post-conflict, value chain approach, deforestation, non-timber forest products, Sustainability Science
- publication/series
- Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
- report number
- 2020:051
- language
- English
- id
- 9031350
- date added to LUP
- 2020-10-27 10:03:53
- date last changed
- 2020-10-27 10:03:53
@misc{9031350,
abstract = {{Ecological rehabilitation projects - as a form of reforestation interventions - are increasing worldwide and present an opportunity for climate change mitigation and supporting local livelihoods. Implemented in post-conflict situations, they are increasingly promoted as solutions for peace. Aiming at understanding their contributions to sustainability and peacebuilding, I examine proposed rehabilitation projects in Sierra de la Macarena National Park in the northern area of the Colombian Amazon by using the value-chain approach of environmental peacebuilding. By combining an analysis of social-environmental tensions around conflicts in the national park and a review of lessons learned from companies working with tree products in Colombia, I answer how value chain considerations can improve rehabilitation projects to address social-ecological tensions. Then, drawing on environmental peacebuilding literature, I discuss the limitations and possibilities of value chain initiatives to address peacebuilding and forest conservation from a short and long-term sustainability perspective.
My findings show that close, long-term and interdependent relationships and a risk-sharing between farmers and partners are essential in creating value chains with tree products. Moreover, it is necessary to find trade-offs between the environmental and economic benefits of specific tree products within the rehabilitation interventions. These projects can contribute to peacebuilding by creating trust and cooperation with different parties and by providing alternative sources of income. However, solutions around land use and land rights must be created to overcome overall tensions within the protected area. Conservation agreements between the National Parks Agency and the farmers can be a first step in providing securities around future land rights and therefore present an incentive for sustainable land use. My thesis identifies that institutional requirements and lacking governmental support for tree product businesses hinder the rehabilitation projects. Thus, political factors need to be simultaneously addressed to create holistic and sustainable solutions for nature and people.}},
author = {{Hegger, Kathrin Sybille}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
series = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
title = {{How to sow peace? : a value chain approach for environmental peacebuilding in Sierra de la Macarena National Park, Colombia}},
year = {{2020}},
}