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Press and News Discover EPINER: the innovative project that connects environmental peace and nutrition

by Karoll Valentina Yomayuza

Colombia's southwestern region known as the 'Macizo Colombiano' is a treasure trove of biodiversity and a source of livelihoods for millions of people. There, an international partnership is joining efforts to strengthen the relationship between environmental conservation and food security. With the support of the Irish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT is leading EPINER, a project that promotes environmental peace, nutrition and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the Macizo's communities in Cauca and Putumayo through sustainable agriculture.

Declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the Macizo Colombiano is a strategic territory for biodiversity and water security in Colombia. However, it faces challenges such as environmental degradation, deforestation and food insecurity, issues that especially affect communities impacted by the country's history of armed conflict.

To address these challenges, the 'Environmental Peacebuilding for Improved Nutrition and Emissions Reduction in Cauca and Putumayo' (EPINER) project has emerged. This initiative promotes sustainable food systems as a strategy to improve nutrition and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Led by the Alliance and supported by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the CGIAR Climate Action and Scaling for Impact Program, EPINER aligns with Ireland's international cooperation strategy and its commitment to peacebuilding and climate action in Colombia.

"Our goal is clear: to address deforestation and land degradation while improving child nutrition, all through a food systems approach in conflict-affected territories," says Dr. Augusto Castro, Senior Scientist in the Multifunctional Landscapes research area and leader of the project. "Through EPINER, we want to empower organizations and communities to lead the transition towards sustainable agricultural practices and resilient and more diverse food systems."

To achieve this, EPINER has structured a comprehensive approach with several lines of action. One of its pillars is the training of farmers and ranchers in the production, marketing and consumption of nutritious foods that produce less GHG emissions than conventional systems, promoting the incorporation of these products into local diets.

Another key aspect is the analysis of the food environment, i.e., the conditions that influence what food is produced, sold and consumed in the region. This ranges from the availability of food in local markets to the economic and cultural factors that determine what makes it to the family's table.

Through meetings, workshops and surveys, EPINER will investigate how this environment relates to deforestation, malnutrition and conflict in Cauca and Putumayo. The information obtained will be made accessible to the public through the PlaSa platform, facilitating access to crucial data for decision-making.

With this knowledge, strategies will be developed together with producers, traders and other value chain actors to promote a more sustainable food system. These strategies include business models to boost production of biofortified beans, a nutritious and resilient crop that is well suited to local conditions and deforestation-free livestock farming.

Finally, the project's impact will be monitored to assess its benefits in terms of GHG emissions reduction, food security and social welfare, allowing the generation of reports, case studies and policy recommendations that will serve to scale these learnings to regional and national levels.

These interventions are expected to generate significant improvement in nutrition and food security, a reduction in GHG emissions and a strengthening of local economies through sustainable value chains. EPINER is a reflection of Ireland and the Alliance's commitment to equitable and sustainable development, in line with global strategies for climate cooperation and action.

 

We invite you to be part of this transformation story and get a closer look at EPINER's work through this video:

Follow EPINER's development closely on our social networks and learn more about our partner:

Researchers

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