Arturo Santos of the International Union for Conservation of Nature discusses strengthening local governance systems, to improve business climate in the Mesoamerican forest sector

1. Strengthening Local Governance Systems,
to improve Business Climate
in the Mesoamerican Forest Sector
“An alternative for reducing deforestation and poverty”
Arturo Santos Godoy
Coordinator
Biodiversity and Sustainable Use
UICN Mesoamérica & Caribean Initiative
jose-arturo.santos@iucn.org

4. Total population and poverty rate for Mesoamerica
Fuente: CEPAL, 2006

6. Centroamérica:
Cuencas hidrográficas y áreas protegidas fronterizas
Fuente: Proyecto de Cooperación Transfronteriza en Centroamérica citado en Matul, 2002

7. Total poverty incidence in the population

8. Remittance
main income
PRISMA, 2008

10. Time - & income +
Drives Def
IInvestor Policies
Finance Tech Capacity
Land Use
Finances
Resources
Sust. M
Time + & Income -

11. North Guatemala
Changing the land Use.

12. "Improving the business climate of Local Economic Agents linked to the management,
protection and restoration of Strategic Forest Ecosystems in the Region through the
development and implementation of Forest Governance Strategic Plans“
Development Indicators
Reduce the average rate of deforestation and degradation of strategic forest ecosystems in
Mesoamerica .
The asset return rate of local economic agents linked to the forest is increased through the
improvement of the sale margin from their forest products and services, the expansion of
market opportunities and the development of funding processes.
The valuation of forest landscapes versus the drivers of deforestation and degradation
increases, which improves its chance of prevalence.
Reduce the level of poverty of rural populations associated with management, protection and
restoration of forests.
Increase the provision of goods and services linked to management, protection and
restoration of strategic forest ecosystems. (Timber products, non timber products, food, water,
carbon, biodiversity).
Increase the rate of land tenure certainty in the territories.
Illegal activities in the territories are reduced.

13. STRATEGIC OUTCOMES
Integration of economic agents linked to the forest.
Political, technical, economic, management and market capacities generated.
Analysis of limiting internal and external factors that affect social, economical and
environmental performance of forests.
Formulation, development and implementation of Forest Governance Strategic Plans-FGSP.
Development of Technical, Economic, Policy and Market Instruments for FGSP Implementation.
Access to land tenure and rights improvement.
Development Ways and Means of Finance.
Fight against Illegal Logging.
Development of Markets and Business Strengthening.
Certification of good Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock practices.
Public-Private Alliances.
Knowledge Management.

14. Risks
Drug traffic exceeds the response capabilities of LEA
Government doesn’t have the political will to integrate LEA into decision making platforms
Weakness or division of LEA (Indigenous groups or forest dwelling communities)
LEA don’t prioritize their work
Business Development Services companies see this a a threat
Changes in national political agendas

15. Examples of work
Ecoregion Lachua:
Located: at the north-west of Guatemala in the departamento of Altaverapaz
Accoding to Holdrige ; Subtropical Rainforest /Wetland (RAMSAR SITE)
Population ; 18,500 hab
Ethnic; 95% indigenous (75% live in poverty conditions)
Social sectors Involved: government agencies, private sector, indigenous
communities, forest communities.
Land Tenure 10% to 95% Including National Park, Municipal land and
indigenous territory
At least one practice of sustainable 55% a 97% Almost all the production in the region is
agricuture is implemented using sustainable agriculture practice
Increment of forest area 560 to 18,318 From 1% to 33% under management (67%
administered under managemen regional forest cover)
plans Increased
Increment per capita income $257.4 to $ 397.9 Increased by 54%
Increment of men and women Men 50 to 1200 ; Most of the local population is involved in
involved in forest activities Women 2 to 55 sustainable or forest management practice
(reforestation, conservation )
Presence of goverment authoroties 0 to 10 Forest, PA´s, Health, education, police, land
tenure, judge, human rights….
Local organization legalize 2 to 12 First, second and third level org.

16. FLOWS…
Governance & sustanibility
02+ H2O+ Biod..
Tax+labor Tax+labor+
H.C+ private
..
GOV. sector Honey (polinisation) 02+ H2O+ Biod+ Food+
$$ Coco (agroforestry) Tax+ labor+private secto
$$
Turism (labor)
Germplasm(seeds)
Food (health)
Improve &
invest:
$$
Tax increase R Education
ural Areas
Taxes Health
Infrastructure
Diversification of Economy
More Resiliencies Society