Regional workshop for the development Resilient Andes project, phase 2

On March 7 and 8 in Lima, a key regional workshop was held to prepare for the second phase of the Resilient Andes project, marking a significant step towards strengthening the region in the face of environmental challenges. This meeting brought together 32 officials from the environment, agriculture, and social and economic inclusion sectors of Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru, initiating a process of collaborative conversations that will delineate guiding strategies for the project´s final phase.

The opening event was attended by essential national counterparts and partners for the project’s development, representing key institutions. Among them were officials from the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion of Ecuador, the Directorate of Climate Change and Desertification of the Ministry of the Environment of Peru, and the Directorate of Adaptation Mechanisms of the Plurinational Authority of Mother Earth of Bolivia, whose collaboration makes the joint work in each country possible; as well as the Swiss International Cooperation SDC, represented by its acting regional director, Christoph Graf.

From the Regional Hub of Swiss International Cooperation, the importance of focusing efforts on targeting and consolidating previously established strategic processes with a greater systemic focus, mobilizing experiences and talents in the region, was highlighted, demonstrating the added value of climate change adaptation measures in the project’s action. The need to design these processes with sustainability-oriented planning from the outset was emphasized, seeking thereby a positive impact on the improvement of both public and private services, reinforcing the importance of strategic planning and sustainability in development cooperation.

The regional workshop is part of a participatory planning process with partners from the 3 countries to define objectives, strategies, and expected results of the project´s next phase, which would be presented to SDC by the end of May 2024.

During the workshop, the main achievements of phase 1 of the Resilient Andes project were presented as a starting point for the second phase, highlighting progress in the implementation of climate change policies to increase resilience in Andean family agriculture. Partners from the environment, agriculture, and social inclusion sectors emphasized the strength of cross-sectoral coordination, as well as the involvement of different actors to improve policies and tools with the goal of increasing their reach to the most vulnerable populations. Likewise, the importance of linkage with the private sector and the identification of local innovative practices to strengthen climate resilience were emphasized.

The first phase of the project focused on increasing the resilience and adaptation capacity to climate change of Andean rural communities, focusing on improving their food and water security. For the next phase, it is expected to continue working with national actors from environmental, agricultural, and inclusion ministries, strengthening the regional aspect of the project through the exchange of learning and consolidation of achievements at regional and global levels. This joint effort promises not only to continue the legacy of the first phase but to expand it with new collaborations and innovations.

Source: Resilient Andes to Climate Change project

Useful links:
Web Resilient Andes to Climate Change
FS Resilient Andes to Climate Change