Sustainable land uses for low emissions food systems in conflict-affected settings

The project “Implementing sustainable agricultural and livestock systems for simultaneous targeting of forest conservation for climate change mitigation (REDD+) and peace-building in Colombia” aims to contribute toward reducing land-based greenhouse gas emissions, conserving forests, restoring degraded landscapes and improving rural livelihoods, while promoting peacebuilding in rural Colombia. 

Thus, SLUS will be informed by the in-depth understanding of enabling conditions and existent institutional arrangements together with agricultural value chains (VC) actors. In addition, upgrading strategies within the VC will be posed to foster the adoption of promising land-use systems. 
The project is led by the Alliance Bioversity International and the International Research Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). Colombia’s Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development is the government partner for this IKI project, while The Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), and Colombia’s Research Center for Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems (CIPAV) and Thünen Institut are implementing partner institutions.

This project is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag.

Policy Integration: Potential synergies between priority areas for land-based climate change mitigation and priority areas for peacebuilding.

Sustainable Landed Systems: SLUS that contribute to land-based climate change mitigation and peacebuilding.

Value-Chains Strategies: VC upgrading strategies and sustainable business to foster the adoption of SLUS.

Business Model: Outreach and promotion of SLUS, VC upgrading strategies through sustainable business models.

The IKI-SLUS project has been supporting ASOPROAGRO and ASPROABELÉN, associations that operate in the Colombian departments of Cesar and Caquetá, in producing cocoa sustainably.