INTAG - Productive development and management of natural resources

This is a zone of great biodiversity, with economic potential, but at the same time, due its unusual topography, a weak infrastructure and fragile ecology.

Intag includes an extensive territory located in the western foothills of the Ecuadorian Andes, next to the Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve. The altitude varies from 1200 m to 2900 m and it forms part of the bioregion "El Choco", catalogued amongst the most important on the planet, but at the same time seriously threatened.

Intag is an area patterned with humid subtropical and primary forests, but also with extensive deforested spaces used for agriculture and cattle grazing.

It is an old colonial zone, configured by small campesino farms which cultivate diverse products like sugar cane, yuca, maize, beans, fruits, coffee, vegetables, agave and others.

Intag is permanently besieged by the interests of large mineral companies due to its wealth of mineral resources. Its settlers, showing a high degree of environmental and social concern, have vigorously defended the right to protect their natural environment.

The presence of the FBU started in 1997 through a small project financed in two stages by the United Nations Program of Small Donations. We are now in a phase of executing the "Project of Productive Development and Management of Natural Resources", co-financed by the Swiss-Ecuadorian Counterparts Fund, involving the council and other NGO´s.

The activities that drive this project are laying foundations for continuous dialogue with the population. Campesinos from 15 communities are concentrating their efforts towards the formation of agroecological farms, installation of tree nurseries, soil conservation, agroforestry, improving animal management, use of bio-gas energy, environmental education, forest management; and promotion of small businesses.<

Achievements

• More than 200 campesino families, organized in 14 agroecological groups, each one consisting of 8 to 30 members, are designing and constructing their agroecological farms.

• They have protected various water sources that supply the water systems for human consumption in the parishes, communities and farms.

• They have realized two participative studies of native forests in two communities.

• Firm steps have been taken in the management of small businesses that generate employment and add value to the zone's products. They have developed a small campesino business for panela production.

• It has contributed to the construction of inter-institutional alliances for the planning and management of development in conjunction with the local government, that, in the case of the Cotacachi county, is one of the most widely recognized processes of citizen participation both at national and international level.

The challenges :

• To consolidate the organization of campesino groups and the local agroecology movement.

• To deepen their knowledge, agroecological management of farms and community management of forests, and improve management of the commercialization of primary products and the promotion of small businesses.

• To strengthen leadership and citizen participation.

• The great challenge: to demonstrate that we have the ability to unite efforts in the construction of a worthy life in harmony with nature.