The Mexican Network of Peasant Forestry Organizations, also known as MOCAF Network, with more than 50 member forestry organizations, grouping more than 120 thousand Mexican peasants and indigenous people.
The Network has been supporting the integration and strengthening of different peasant organizations since 1994. These organizations have among their resources, natural forests, tropical rainforests, arid zone vegetation, forest and agroforestry plantations, multiple use agroforestry systems, combining agricultural crops, tree species producing not only conventional goods but an endless number of intangible goods that benefit society.
The main objective of the Association of Forest Communities of Petén (ACOFOP) is to improve the quality of life of the communities through integrated forest management and environmental services, thus promoting social, ecological, economic and political sustainability of the country's largest protected area, with more than 2 million hectares of natural forest, the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala.
ACOFOP's strategic lines of action are: community institutions, community political management, business management and development, integrated forest resource management, and productive development for development. Through ACOFOP's joint work, community organizations have more than 400,000 hectares of natural forest under sustainable management and through contracts with the Guatemalan government, they guarantee access to and management of the natural resources of the Multiple Use Zone of the Maya Biosphere Reserve for 25 years.
ACOFOP's Community Monitoring Network successfully completes Forest Firefighter Course developed by #CONAP and other organizations, within the framework of the National Strategy for Integrated Fire Management.
The National Alliance of Community Forestry Organizations of Guatemala (Alianza OFC Guatemala) was created with the objective of strengthening efforts and promoting the responsible management and conservation of collectively managed forests. The Alliance works in 4 regions of Guatemala: North, East, West and South Coast.
Since its founding in 2009, the OFC Guatemala Alliance has provided a space for community dialogue to facilitate the proactive action of community forestry organizations in the area of municipal governance. In addition, this alliance promotes a focus on competitiveness and forestry entrepreneurship that contributes to improving the lives of the families that make up this alliance.
According to the FAO report, in Guatemala, 70 percent of forest land is protected by community forestry enterprises that manage more than 420,000 hectares within the Maya Biosphere Reserve. These forest enterprises generated more than 10,000 direct jobs and some 60,000 indirect jobs, and workers are paid more than double the normal wage (World Resources Institute, 2008).
Mexico has had a major program in place since 1997 to help communities create forestry enterprises. Currently more than 2,300 community groups generate income for the community through responsible timber harvesting.
The Community Forestry Association of Guatemala Utz Che' (good tree in the K'iché language) is a civil association formed by community organizations dedicated to the sustainable management of their natural resources, mainly forests, forest plantations and water sources.
Utz Che' is constituted as a National Network that articulates diverse community, indigenous and peasant groups, with cultural, ethnic and organizational diversity, seeking social inclusion, fair and sustainable development, as well as respect for the human and territorial rights of the different peoples that make up Guatemala. The organizations associated with Utz Che' have different forms of organization such as Parcialidades, Cooperatives, Indigenous Communities, Associative Peasant Enterprises (ECA) and Peasant Associations of the Mam, Poqomam, Pocomchi', Popti', Achi', Kiche', Kaqchiquel, Q'eqchi', Chorti' , Q'anjob'al, Xinka and mestizo peoples.
The Federation of Agroforestry Producers of Honduras (FEPROAH) was created to promote community management through forest management and sustainable enterprise development. FEPROAH is composed of indigenous peoples and peasant communities representing more than 40 agroforestry enterprises. In total, more than 3,250 affiliated men and women protect 400,000 hectares of forest, representing 6% of the Honduran Forest Reserve.
Honduran indigenous peoples represent 7 percent of the country's inhabitants. They conserve nearly 70 percent of the country's protected areas, which are vital for the formation of biological corridors. On the other hand, peasant communities protect and inhabit 12 percent of the Honduran Forest Reserve.
MASTA has been strengthening indigenous autonomy and governance in the Muskitia territory for more than 40 years. It was founded by the Awas community and is dedicated to the promotion of culture and the legalization, administration and collective control of the community's lands, territories and natural resources.
Among their activities, they are dedicated to the protection and defense of indigenous rights, territory and natural resources. They also work for indigenous autonomy and bilingual education. MASTA is made up of more than 60,000 Miskitus, who protect the Honduran forest, approximately 1.2 million hectares or 7 percent of the national territory.
MASTA is the first indigenous organization in Central America to develop its bio-cultural protocol as a mechanism to defend the rights of Miskito communities. They have made a tangible impact in the Miskito territory, managing land titles for different indigenous communities.
The Bribri-Cabecar Indigenous Network (RIBCA) is composed of the integration of indigenous territories of the Atlantic Region of Costa Rica. RIBCA defends the fundamental rights of indigenous peoples and promotes local development plans in coordination with public institutions, municipalities and the Central Government.
Since 2005, RIBCA has been developing actions to improve the quality of life of indigenous peoples. The Network is a meeting place for the indigenous communities of Limón, Talamanca and Siquirres.
The Guna General Congress is the highest political and administrative authority of Gunayala, whose functions and limitations are specified in the legal instrument that functions to relate to the Panamanian State and to be applied in the territory.
The Comarca of San Blas was named Gunayala by Panamanian law in 1938 and in 1957 it was declared a Natural Reserve. This region comprises the continental and insular portion of the national territory, including all the islands, islets, keys and reefs and the marine part that extends along the Atlantic coast.
The Laws of the Gunayala community clearly and precisely state social, cultural and economic policies with the objective of revitalizing and strengthening the country's original institutions. Gunayala is a special political division of the Republic of Panama.
The Emberá-Wounnan Comarca is an indigenous region of Panama, its area covers 4383.5 km² and is composed of communities of the Emberá and Wounnan ethnic groups. It has a population of more than 10,000 inhabitants that are divided into more than 41 communities throughout the indigenous territory.
The Emberá-Wounnan Comarca makes decisions based on its ancestral roots. Each decision is made known by means of resolutions signed by the Congress Board, which become effective when duly enacted. This community defends the rights to collective land ownership and promotes the respect and development of their cultures.
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