FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Purpose

The project aims to improve the quality of life of rural and indigenous women and youth whose livelihoods depend on forest resources in 12 municipalities of Western Honduras. It seeks to improve the governance for the conservation and sustainable management of the forest and its associated biodiversity, led by rural and indigenous women and youth. The project also seeks to increase the economic empowerment of these women and youth by helping them to use forest resources and biodiversity in alignment with municipal climate change and development plans. Project activities are expected to benefit 60 women’s and youth organizations and 2,000 families. Project activities include: (1) building local governments’ capacities to increase women’s participation and leadership in natural resources management, environment and climate change decision-making bodies; (2) providing technical assistance in the establishment of municipal economic development strategies related to natural resource management and climate change; (3) providing technical assistance to women’s organizations in developing community supportive services (i.e. child day-care centers) and providing training on gender equality legislation, natural resources management and climate change; (4) providing technical assistance to entrepreneurial women in improved conservation and sustainable use of forest resources, and in entrepreneurial management skills; (5) promoting short agroforestry value chains for local urban markets and highly specialized markets and services; and (6) promoting the adoption of innovative and time-and effort-saving technologies by entrepreneurial women.