Protection of tropical forests and management of water catchment areas (CAMARENA)

The region of Trifinio, situated in the frontier area of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, has a particular importance for the regional biodiversity and water supply. At the same time, it is characterized by a high poverty rate, especially among the population of rural areas, and by a lack of governmental support. Insufficient professional skills and organisational and management capacities of the responsible institutions in the region of Trifinio impede the transboundary advancement and an effective implementation of sustainable methods of use.

The objective of CAMARENA has been to improve the transboundary support and implementation of a sustainable use of natural resources in the region of Trifinio.

Services included:

Component 1: Models of sustainable use of natural resources

• Initiation of innovative models for valorisation of natural resources in favour of the local population with a gender-differentiated approach.
• Creation of examples for an involvement of the private sector in the sustainable use and commercialisation of natural resources.
• Transmission of experiences with the initiated models to project partners at national and regional level and to donor institutions.
• Choice of the models that have to be developed, i.e. the determination of promising forms of land use, cultivation products and valorisation methods.

Component 2: Organisational and management capacities

• Creation of new (also transboundary) cooperation agreements between relevant actors to advance a sustainable use of natural resources.
• Advice of local authorities in the development and integration of instruments of the climate oriented risk management in local and regional development plans.
• Municipal advice regarding the aim of sustainable management of natural resources and transboundary management of water catchment areas.
• Transboundary cooperation and catastrophe prevention.
• Adaptation to climate change.