La Minga-An Endowment to Secure Community Driven Conservation on Colombia’s Pacific Coast
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Conservación Internacional Colombia
Conservation International (CI) and Fondo Acción (FA)have been actively supporting and contributing to the creation, development and strengthening of three protected areas (RDM Golfo de Tribugá, RDM La Plata and RNP La Sierpe) and communities. To further this work and provide continuity, CI and FA have launched “La Minga” which means “everyone together.” La Minga is an endowment fund and a sinking fund designed to guarantee the financial sustainability of this community-driven network of protected areas (IDM Golfo de Tribugá in Chocó and IDM La Plata, NRP of la Sierpe in valle del Cauca)The fund´s goal is to ultimately help secure the protection of invaluable biodiversity, a deeply prized cultural heritage, and the natural capital on which the local communities depend. This is the first time in
Colombia where long-term financial sustainability for protected area management is being developed with the people who live there, who have driven this process since the very beginning.
Last update: 05 Oct 2020
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Contexto
Défis à relever
Our main challenge is to address the loss of biodiversity thorough participatory solutions that are implemented directly by the communities that live on the protected areas. Also, to obtain a real long term financial mechanism that can guarantee the effective implementation of the management plans of the areas despite of the changing governments, authorities and governance schemes. Lastly we have the challenge to improve the livelihoods conditions of the communities consolidating new economic alternatives based on the sustainable use of the natural resources.
Ubicación
Chocó Department, Colombia
South America
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Summary of the process
Considering that these 3 protected areas are vital for the livelihoods of several ethnic communities, and that the financial resources are needed to implement the management plans, the governance structure is necessary so there is an assertive investment of the money depending on the actual necessities of the people and the territory.
Therefore, these 2 building blocks are completely connected because without the governance and co-management structure it wouldn’t be possible to prioritize the investment. On the other hand, the long term financial mechanism is necessary to be able to maintain a real governance of the natural resources that entails actions and activities.
Building Blocks
DEVELOPMENT OF A GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE TO GUARANTEE THE STAKEHOLDER´S PARTICIPATION IN THE RESOURCES INVESTING PROCESS
All of the protected areas that are covered by La Minga are managed by Community Councils and the regional environmental authorities. Net interests of La Minga will be transferred to community-based organizations (Community Councils) and other nonprofit organizations to support the implementation of management plans for the protected areas, under the
supervision of an Endowment Fund oversight structure.
A Technical Committee for La Minga directs and oversees the use of La Minga Endowment revenues that are channeled annually to the account
opened and held by Fondo Acción. The Technical Committee is composed of representatives from Conservation International Colombia, Fondo Acción, local environmental authorities, Community Councils with participation in the protected area management, and an academic advisor. The Technical Committee reviews and approves annual investment plans
presented by both Regional Environmental Authorities and Community Councils.
The Executive Committee makes the funding decision in accordance with the recommendations that it receives from the Technical Committee.
Enabling factors
A big enabling factor is the transparency required in the governance mechanism and also the need to guarantee the effective participation of the community council´s representatives and of the environmental authorities. Also, the thorough following of the proposals and projects are a key factor for the mechanism to work. And -lastly- is it of high importance to continue with the building capacities process with local stakeholders to ensure that the proposals will be in line with the management plans and the prioritized needs.
Lesson learned
We learned that the involvement of the community’s actors is required from the very beginning to obtain an acceptance of the rules and an empowerment of the local stakeholders regarding the management of the areas that they use to satisfy their needs. We also learned, that building this kind of mechanisms requires a lot of time and it´s very important to make that clear with all the allies so they don’t expect the financial support in an early stage.
The consolidation of a co-management mechanism requires that the public entities understand the value of the inputs of the community, and that they are willing to prioritize the investment needs in accordance with the needs of the local stakeholders.
Lastly, it´s important to mention that an endowment can create a lot of false expectations in different actors, and that´s way is necessary to consolidate a communications strategy that can reach national, regional, and local levels.
LONG TERM FINANCIAL MECHANISM TO GUARANTEE THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION F THE PROTECTED AREAS’ MANAGEMENT PLANS
With the revenues from the endowment and the investment in the sinking fund, La Minga provides the financial resources to implement the prioritized actions from the management plans. To that end, the members of the Technical Committee decide together what strategies are the most vital to implement, the cost of the activities and the terms of refence for hiring a community-based organization to execute the components.
The donation of the Walton Family Foundation to la Minga will be in the fund for at least 30 years, and therefore this mechanism can guarantee that the protected areas will have financial resources for every year over a long time.
Enabling factors
It is necessary to get to the 5 Million USD Goal in the endowment and 1 million USD in the sinking found. Otherwise we won’t have enough revenuers to support the implementation of the management plans of the three protected areas.
These endowment funds are subject to an investment policy focused on generating annual income while simultaneously preserving and enhancing the value of endowment capital through adequate diversification of high quality instruments, balanced by an acceptable degree of risk.
Lesson learned
The process of building an endowment and a sinking fund is long and difficult. Most of the potential donors’ can´t give money for a long period (La Minga is conceived at least for 30 years). Also, it is very important to set strict and clear rules regarding the investment of the money, because of different expectations that can emerge in the country.
Impacts
La Minga impacts directly in the management of the selected protected areas, assuring the resources for the implementation of its actions and strategies. Therefore, we are helping to ensure the conservation values over time.
La Minga also influences the community-based processes by strengthening the abilities of their organizations giving them the opportunity to implement the actions of the management plans and the financial resources to administrate their territory.
Lastly, there will be a noticeable impact in the living conditions of the communities considering that a big part of the actions required is the need to consolidate economic alternatives for the communities that reduce their poverty and helps them acquire dignified living conditions.
Beneficiaries
The beneficiaries of La Minga are the community members of La Plata, Chucheros and Nuqui, who are going to obtain a better management of the area that supplies them with good and services, and are going to be the implementers of the projects
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 1 – No poverty
SDG 2 – Zero hunger
SDG 8 – Decent work and economic growth
SDG 11 – Sustainable cities and communities
SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production
Story
workshop in Mangaña
Conservación Internacional Colombia
The community of Mangaña -located in the protected area of la Plata-, holds approximately 21 families that depend exclusively of natural resources (specially piangüa, fish, and mangrove) and are currently facing difficult conditions regarding the satisfaction of their basic needs.
Knowing past interventions of CI (in another communities), María Paz -a teacher in Mangaña- decided to approach us and asked us to help the Community in the conservation of the Mangrove and its resources.
At that time, CI had no resources that could invest in Mangaña. However, the community was willing to start committing and taking CI´s recommendations regarding the sustainable use of nature without expecting any financial retributions. With Mangaña, we designed an Agreement so the community took better care of the mangrove forest, and assigned responsibilities for each person whether as a monitor or collector of piangua and included some functions of control and surveillance.
Mangaña started with the Agreement and is complying with the necessary actions to give a better use of the mangrove, noticing that there are alternatives that result from the conservation actions such as the premium prize commercialization of piangua extracted in a responsible manner and today is one of the most known community iniciatives in Uramba Bahía Malaga
With la Minga, we expect that Mangaña can present a proposal so they can have a recognition for their labors and start to acquire new economic alternatives that relive the natural resources of their pressures; and to escalate this successful model as a successful case of reasonable use of the resources and improving the community wellbeing.
Conectar con los colaboradores
Other contributors
Walton Family Foundation
Walton Family Foundation
Embassy of Sweden in Colombia
Embassy of Sweden in Colombia
