Colombia has significant potential to combat climate change by establishing forestry and agroforestry systems on degraded land. Additional opportunities for restoration are found in improvements in pasture and cattle management as well as the conversion of degraded pastures to sustainable cocoa, timber, or palm oil plantation.
- Public-private alliances and agreements in key agricultural sectors, driven by Colombia joining international initiates to end deforestation and transition to sustainable land use, have significantly advanced in the past years. Additionally, Colombia is advancing a range of initiatives compatible with the FLR approach, including public-private agreements in the cocoa, beef, dairy, and palm sectors, and in sustainable landscape programs.
- Improving the sustainability of existing cocoa production areas and establishing new cocoa plantations on degraded lands as part of a larger FLR approach for productive and integrated landscapes, represents an attractive business opportunity for farmers and a growing number of investors. Cocoa production can provide alternative economic opportunities in regions with high deforestation pressure, such as the Amazon, supporting reduced deforestation and further negative emissions.
- The establishment of cocoa agroforestry systems on non-forest or degraded landscapes can sequester significant volumes of additional carbon in biomass and reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations. These types of systems can enhance climate resilience, sequester significant amounts of carbon in biomass, and deliver biodiversity benefits that would be compatible with an overall FLR approach across Colombia.
In conclusion, FLR can play a key role in achieving national restoration goals, deforestation-free commodity supply chains, and global climate objectives under the Paris Agreement. Colombia’s NDC revision and implementation could be further enhanced by including and aligning ongoing and future initiatives on restoration and zero-deforestation.
