Generating opportunities for livelihoods and biodiversity through participatory governance of natural resources and the economic diversification of the communities of the central forest corridor of Honduras

The proposed GEF project aims to address the degradation and fragmentation of Honduras' natural capital and improve the livelihoods of local communities in the productive landscapes in the Olancho Department with a particular focus on the landscapes area between Sierra de Agalta, Boquerón, and La Muralla protected areas. These areas have been affected by unsustainable land use practices and natural disasters. The project will adopt a mosaic-based approach for sustainable production and conservation across 122,000 hectares of land, promoting the adoption and scaling-up of nature-based solutions by smallholder farmers and the implementation of restoration activities in areas affected by agriculture and other economic sectors. The project will improve technical capacities, local and national governance, inter-agency coordination, and catalyze private sector participation. The expected outcomes include the enhanced of ecosystem services, biodiversity benefits, GHG mitigation, carbon storage and sequestration, and the restoration of critical forests and woodlands. The project will demonstrate the benefits of mainstreaming biodiversity conservation in productive landscapes, provide tools, knowledge, and lessons at a considerable scale, replicable in other parts of the country and the region.Building on the early steps the country has made to improve land and forest management, the project will contribute to biodiversity conservation, address land degradation, and mitigate climate change.