Agroforestry-management & reforestation

According to deforestation monitoring results, 2019, about 158.894 ha have been deforested in Colombia, and although the overall trend in the country towards deforestation has been reduced in the last two years, in the Santander area, there has been an increase of 2.7%.

Colombia is positioned within the 40 countries with the highest historical participation in the production of GHG, mainly due to deforestation. Climate change can represent a reduction of up to 7.4% in agricultural production systems. The economic activity of Santander is focused on agricultural activities, especially in cocoa, oil-palm, coffee, corn, tobacco, sugarcane and citrus crops. The agricultural Santander evaluation indicated that there are about 305.515 ha planted and an agricultural production of approximately 1.499.641 ton/y. The wide potential for the reuse of harvest by-products in compost generation, will serve not only to improve soil quality, but also, for use in agroforestry production systems and reforestation areas

Low carbon-resilient rural development: we aim to qualify rural communities in application of sustainable agroforestry crops management, setting-up of plant nurseries and reforestation of most critical areas

Management and conservation of ecosystems services: the project solution idea is formulated to increase soil quality, the improvement of soil physical, chemical and biological properties, hand in hand with the increase in soil nutrients. Therefore, we will have healthier and more biodiverse soils that will serve as a support medium for healthier and more productive crops. In addition, with the setting-up of plant nurseries, reforestation and the sustainable management of agroforestry systems, we will increase sequestration of GHG

Increase communities’ income: this strategy will help rural communities to create their own sustainable Business derived from the use of harvest by-products. We will provide them with tools to generate their own compost that they can use not only for commercialization, but also, for use in their crops, plant nurseries, or reforestation. At the same time, we aim to reduce the post-harvest   burning activity, reducing respiratory problems, air pollution and emission of GHG

Agricultural technification: we will qualify the communities in the use of technology that allows them to track and monitor crop areas

The development of the project methodology seeks to train rural farming families in order to support the generation of organic fertilizers formulated with harvest crop by-products. From the generation of these fertilizers, implementation will be sought in several sectors: 1. in agro-forestry areas, also promoting sustainable forest management through personnel training. 2. Implementation of the fertilizer generated for the construction of a regional nursery with endemic plants destined for reforestation of critical areas. 3. Use of the organic fertilizer, in the agricultural activities of the region. 4. Implementation with the farmers of a sustainable business strategy based on the sale of the produced fertilizers. 5. Include the rural community in reforestation programs. 6. Finally, technology and the use of software will be used to carry out flights with unmanned aerial vehicles, drones, to obtain aerial photographs of the crop and to be able to monitor and follow up the reforested areas. It is also expected to train the community to maintain the monitoring and follow-up of the project in reforestation and application of fertilizers.

The solution is aimed for the rural populations in the Soto and Soto Norte Province in the  department of Santander, Colombia. In many cases, the management of agroforestry crops is carried out in rural areas without any advice or technical knowledge. Additionally, these areas are far from large urban centers, which make it easier to engage the communities in deforestation activities. The accompaniment of these populations will help the appropriate management of natural resources, increasing the population quality of life, the capacities to generate their own sustainable businesses, improve their soils and the productivity, reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. The knowledge of new monitoring technologies with drones in the crop and the development of a follow-up to reforestation and the application of fertilizers will give the tools to the community to maintain the project.

Multiple laboratory-scale projects or small field pilots have been carried out focused on soil improvement; improve production processes aligned with the circular economy strategy, such as projects related to the productive cycle of coffee, cocoa, blackberries and the post-harvest handling of organic waste. We also have a joint circular economy project applied in a small rural community in the Santander area. Additionally, projects have been developed using drones to update data on pineapple production crops with very positive results.

Integrate the community in caring for the environment, in reducing greenhouse gases with its activities, in the application of sustainable practices for the management of crops and the generation of green businesses using the same harvest products that they generate. Additionally, training in the use of technologies such as unmanned aerial vehicle flights to obtain crop data and monitoring. As well as teaching to maintain the monitoring and follow-up of reforestation and crops.

The project is aim to start in the Province of Soto, municipality of California, the current rural population in this area is 900 inhabitants . In one year, the project is aim to extend to the Soto Norte province, municipality of Suratá with a current rural population of 2627 inhabitants.

Carbon footprint calculation

Population interested in the project proposal

Number of people trained

Number of people who apply each proposal

Reforested areas

Amount of compost generated

Amount of fertilizer applied

Sown plants

Number of plants in the nursery

Number of green businesses generated in the area

Pontificia Bolivariana University and the Non-governmental Water Fund- Alianza Biocuenca

4 Full time professors and 8 undergraduate students from the Pontificia Bolivariana University

2 technical support personal from the Non-governmental Water Fund- Alianza Biocuenca

Professors from Pontificia Bolivariana University

Students of the Environmental engineering Faculty

Graduate technical support personal from the Non-governmental Water Fund- Alianza Biocuenca

The solution is focused to be inclusive and have full and equitable participation without discrimination of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, conditions of disability, age, or ethnic origin.

Our project is seeking for:

• Access to funding in grants or prizes  
• Access to mentorship, coaching, and strategic advice from experts, as well as the Solve and MIT networks; 

The most critical aspect in our project is the financial support.

Also, we are seeking to access to the expertise of the MIT group in order to improve our skills in monitoring and evaluation and also in technology to data analysis.

We would like to partner with any MIT faculty or initiatives in order to improve our skills in monitoring and evaluation and also in technology to data analysis.

The project goal is to construct more sustainable communities; this will be achieved through the implementation of sustainable practices techniques such as sustainable management of agroforestry areas, plant nursery construction and reforestation, harvest sub-products for compost generation and further application in crops, business models in order to use the compost for selling. All this activities will benefit rural communities and the environment. The price will help us to spread the project system to more rural communities.

The project is intended to include in all the activities women and children without any discrimination.The price will help us to spread the project system to more rural communities and work together with with the target group.

One of the project goals is to share and replicate our knowledge in rural communities, in order to achieve sustainable practices in the management of agroforestry systems; in addition, we want to work together with the community on the construction of plant nursery and in the reforestation of rural critical areas. All this activities are in direct association with carbon absorption and sequestration from the environment. The price will help us to spread the project system to more rural communities.

One of the project goals is to share and replicate our knowledge, in order to technify rural communities in the management of their crops. This will be achieved with help of technical support and the sharing of knowledge and experiences to use these technologies, to implement and to monitoring their cultivated areas through them. The price will help us to spread the project system to more rural communities.