TERRITORIAL MANAGEMENT
AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION
At RAÍCES we recognize that good governance and good local management are essential to achieve efficiency and sustainability in communities, essentially to maintain a dynamic balance between the need for order and equality in society, production and the restoration of agricultural landscapes.
Local governance and territorial management allow us to work with a dynamic network of local actors, with a shared vision for environmental restoration, investing in landscape restoration plans, and leveraging external co-investments to support these plans.
WORK AREAS
Community leadership
to promote integrity and transparency in their relationship with other local stakeholders.
Protection of water sources
through adequate watershed management and a strong promotion of coffee forest conservation.
Rural economy
seeking a balance between agricultural development, ecosystem conservation and the economy in the communities.
Youth
strengthening technical skills in agriculture and knowledge through co-investments in education.
Restoration of the agricultural landscape
working hand in hand with farmers to consolidate Water Smarte Agriculture practices.
Frequent and effective communication
in order to take advantage of new opportunities and increase interest in achieving sustainability.
LOCAL PARTNER
One of the major achievments of the RAICES program has been the creation of the Agricultural Landscape Management Committee, which was officially registered as an NGO in December 2022, under the name of ACOGESPA.
ACOGESPA, is formed by a network of local actors, managing and administering funds to carry out necessary and fundamental activities for economic, social and environmental development in the territory.
Actions such as managing donations made to the Colibrí Program for scholarships and youth leadership training activities, co-investments for Field Action Plans with farmers and agricultural promoters, such as improvements to the water metering system and installation in Ahuachapán, are channeled through ACOGESPA.
Additionally, an interinstitutional council of strategic actors was formed to protect Laguna Verde, composed of representatives from ACOGESPA, the Tourism Committee of Apaneca, and other stakeholders, with the aim of identifying priority actions to protect Laguna Verde and developing a water resource monitoring plan.
Furthermore, Local and Territorial Water Councils have been established to protect and restore water resources and systems, involving broad stakeholder participation, and supporting 25 water service operators in the territory with technical and administrative training.
At the same time, we are supporting a new "Water Management School" in collaboration with CRS and the Universidad Centroamericana (UCA), where community leaders are trained in leadership skills, policy advocacy, and peacebuilding.