Resource-rich countries find it pays to pay landholders to protect their land

From Dimitri Selibas / ENSIA: Guatemala’s reforestation programs pay farmers to keep their lands forested instead of clearing them for farming. The annual $380 payment each participant receives for 5 to 10 years comes from the general taxes collected by the government.

Click here to read the full story on ENSIA.

Issue Areas:

Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, Land Use, Sustainable Farming, Wellbeing Economics

Impact Areas:

Distributed Trust and Power, Environmental Sustainability, Health and Wellness

Actors:

Farmers, Government

Communities Served:

Communities Experiencing Economic Hardship, Farmers

Strategies:

Easing Economic Burdens for Individuals, Reallocating Government / Public Financing, Redefining Land / Land Ownership, Regeneration

Success Factors:

Attacking Root Causes, Eliminating Barriers, Empowering People, Establishing Social Norms, Providing Cash Instead Of Goods/Services, Using Financial Incentives

Geographic Region:

Central America, Latin America and the Caribbean

Countries:

Guatemala

Date:

May 11, 2023

More Resources:

A revolution in helping Africa’s poor: Cash with no strings attached

From Katharine Houreld / The Washington Post: GiveDirectly runs a program that gives a lump sum of cash directly to those in need, without needing to qualify with other specifications (such as school enrollment or vaccination status). Lump sum funds...

Conversation with Mariana Madureira

Mariana is the co-founder of Raízes Sustainable Development. She has a wide experience in management of collaborative projects, sustainable tourism, and dialogue with traditional communities. She enjoys formulating strategies in order to bring collective dreams into reality and has always...

Conversation with Lindsay Morgan Tracy and Lori Pfingst

Lindsay Morgan Tracy is the Innovator-in-Chief for the Department of Social & Health Services in Washington State working on the Blueprint for an Equitable Future: The 10-Year Plan to Dismantle Poverty in Washington State. She is a staunch advocate of...

It’s more than just cash’: Young Seoulites navigate future with city’s youth allowance program

From Lee Suh-yoon / The Korea Times: The Youth Allowance Program in Seoul gives lower to middle-class residents (aged 19 to 34) a monthly stipend of 500,000 won ($418) for up to six months to ease the financial burden of...

How Bogotá cares for its family caregivers: From dance classes to job training

From Rhitu Chatterjee / NPR: A unique program in Bogotá called Manzanas del Cuidado (Care Blocks) provides free activities and services to unpaid caregivers in local neighborhoods. These services span everything from wellness classes to professional training to educational courses....

Conversation with Dr. Neil Vora

Neil Vora, MD, is the senior advisor for One Health at Conservation International. He has also served for nearly a decade with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer and a...