Indigenous governance, land management and community enterprises in Oaxaca, Mexico

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Contributed by: Chloe Hans-Barrientos, DGM Global Monitoring, Reporting and Communications Manager

From October 21 – 25, the Dedicated Grant Mechanism for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (DGM) Global Executing Agency team held the 3rd Regional Americas Exchange in Oaxaca, Mexico. This exchange was organized in collaboration with DGM Mexico's National Executing Agency, Rainforest Alliance and with support from DGM Mexico's Global Steering Committee (GSC) and National Steering Committee (NSC). The NSC is composed primarily of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) that oversee the implementation of DGM country projects, provide guidance and serve as the national decision-making body.

Photo: DGM Global; Group photo in Capulalpam de Méndez, “pueblo mágico” (magical town).

The DGM GEA team was joined by 15 IPLC representatives from DGM Peru and DGM Brazil country projects as well as, IPLC networks and alliances from Colombia and El Salvador and representatives from DGM Guatemala's interim NSC. DGM Mexico project implementers and local community promoters also participated, in addition to GEF Mexico: Sustainable Landscapes project staff. The IPLC organizations and networks that attended included, the Coordinating Body for the Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin (COICA), the Abya Yala Indigenous Forum (FIAY), the Continental Network of Indigenous Women of the Americas (ECMIA), the Guatemala Panel on Climate Change (Mesa Nacional de Cambio Climático- Guatemala) and the Association of Forest Communities of Petén (ACOFOP). On the first day of the exchange, 37 community representatives attended the exchange workshop.

The Sierra Norte of Oaxaca was selected as the exchange location given its effective communal management of indigenous territories and development of successful community enterprises that use sustainable agroforestry to commercialize a variety of natural resources.

Photos: (1) Magaly Pitsasati (Ashaninka DGM Peru participant) during working group presentation on the topic of full and effective participation of women. (2)Traditional opening ceremony at EcoturIxtlan. (3) DGM Mexico participant, Leonor Fernandez visiting coffee plots in San Juan de Tabaa. (4) Tseredzaro Ruri-o in San Juan de Tabaa. (5) sustainable carbon production in Capulalpam de Méndez. (6) Ramiro Lopez from Mesa Nacional de Cambio Climatico - Guatemala on the topic of indigenous governance.

The exchange kicked off with a traditional ceremony – and in true Oaxaqueño style – with a calenda or traditional festival in the indigenous municipality of Ixtlan de Juarez. The workshop and accommodations were hosted at EcoturIxtlan, an ecotourism lodge supported and financed by DGM Mexico's financial inclusion window. This experience provided exchange participants with the chance to experience DGM Mexico's work firsthand.

Throughout the week, exchange participants had the opportunity to visit and learn about DGM Mexico's subprojects in the Sierra Norte region of Oaxaca and exchange lessons learned and best practices with one another. The exchange learning themes included indigenous community enterprises, community governance and land management, community forestry management and productive activities in forest landscapes.

Photos: (1) Exchange participants visiting San Juan de Tabaa coffee plots. (2) Visit to Uzachi timber production factory

Participants engaged in fruitful dialogue about the full and effective participation of women, community governance and social inclusion, community and natural resource management, sustainable agroforestry systems and community tourism. Several field visits were organized to learn about DGM Mexico's experience in sustainable coffee, carbon and timber production and commercialization. In addition, an ongoing handicrafts fair was held at the workshop location, providing a space for indigenous community enterprises to display and commercialize their products.

About the DGM:
The DGM is an innovative financing mechanism of the Forest Investment Program (FIP) of the Climate Investment Funds, which were created to support the full and effective participation of IPLCs in global fora on climate change, including the reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+). The DGM includes 12 countries and a Global Learning and Knowledge Exchange Project (DGM Global) that facilitates knowledge Exchange between the DGM countries and other key actors in the IPLC context.

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