Author Archives: cosv

Sustainable tourism and protection of the natural environment in Northern Montenegro and Southern Bosnia

The municipalities of Zabljak and Pluzine in Montenegro and Foca in Bosnia are among the most economically disadvantaged areas of the two countries, with the majority of the local population living a rural life based on farming and subsistence agriculture. Tourist services are still in the embryonic stages, despite the real potential of the region: here the development of sustainable tourism could represent an important driver of economic growth.

With this project we want to create a lasting partnership between the two national parks to coordinate common development activities across the border area. Standards of quality in economic activities are introduced and shared, to enhance the attractiveness of products and services offered to national, regional and international  tourists and ensure compliance with ethical and environmental sensitivity.

The coordination between the two parks aims to raise awareness on the presence and use of the cultural and natural heritage of the area, to support local communities residing in the border area between Bosnia and Montenegro to sustainably use natural resources as sources of income, and boost the local economic development.

Through the strengthening of common sustainable tourist facilities and services, we want to improve the living conditions and employment opportunities for the population living in rural areas between the two national parks: Durmitor in Montenegro and Sutjeska in Bosnia.

Support to small agro-ecological farmers in region of Piura, Peru

In the region of Piura, half of the rural population lives in poverty. A worrying situation due to the “paradoxes of hunger“: in rural areas of developing countries, where the majority of cultivations that feed the world have been tamed, seeds are not at disposal of farmers and are produced by few multinationals. In addition, while in the cities people have relatively appropriate access to food, in the countryside – where agriculture is practiced and food is produced, the highest levels of poor diet and malnutrition are recorded.

There are at least 50,000 small farmers in the region of Piura who live in precarious conditions: low quality of basic services, poor infrastructure, health and education crumbling, roads in poor condition and few mechanisms for the producer-consumer integration or to facilitate farmers’ access to major markets. To overcome this situation, small farmers who provide food for the urban population, are organizing themselves and are asking authorities to pass regulations and design marketing plans to promote healthy, sovereign and kilometer zero food consumption.

This project aims to contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of farmers in the most depressed rural areas of Piura Region, promoting the use and dissemination of good agricultural practices for the cultivation and marketing of agro-food native varieties, which are essential for food security. The application of laws on food security and sovereignty, and the strengthening of local governments’ role  will be crucial to protect and promote the consumption of local agricultural products.

200 production units will be equipped with optimized irrigation systems, improving soil fertility; and 100 small-scale farmers will realize the selection, production, storage and distribution of propagation materials (cuttings, tubers, seeds, etc..) not infected by fungi, viruses, phytoplasmas and bacteria. Through the agro-ecological certification (SGP) and the development of “markets of the Earth”, cultivation and marketing of ten local products will be promoted.

Sustainable Environmental Management and Desertification Control in Ecuador and Perú

The project aims to improve the quality of life of people living in the border area of Ecuador-Perù through sustainable management of the local ecosystem of the “Dry Forest”, strengthening the capacity of small groups of productors to implement policies and actions that promote good environmental management practices.

At the end of this five years project, the water supply and irrigation systems have greatly improved thanks to new systems of collection, treatment and distribution of drinking water in rural communities, a municipal laboratory for the analysis of water quality, 90 wells with their pumps and 100 irrigation systems with different types (drip, sprinkler and gravity).

Farmers have been encouraged in a process of transition to organic farming, with 2 institutional nurseries and 4 community nurseries, the collection and reproduction of indigenous seeds, the recovery and improvement of old techniques of sustainable agriculture, the re-introduction of natural fertilizers and combination of cultivations and the installation of agro-forestry systems.

Moreover, we have worked on reforestation with natural regeneration of forest’s protected areas; studies on the Tumbesina region and publication of inventories of endemic species and traditional technologies of the area of the “Dry Forest”.

Awareness campaign have been carried out among schools and local communities.