Forests as a Setting for the Economic Development of Indigenous and Afro-Colombian Communities

Abstract

Fundación Espavé is a non-profit organization whose mission has been to develop alternatives for the sustainable use and management of tropical forests by Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, based on the sustainable harnessing of the great biodiversity found within them, in order to link these products to national and international markets. Achieving this goal requires community organization in collaboration with institutions, universities, and businesses that make it possible for products to reach markets from remote forest locations. This involves high levels of research and development (R&D — innovation), with the primary goal of conserving Colombia's forests through sustainable use, generating development opportunities for their inhabitants.