PROGRAM FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS OF VENEZUELAN INDIGENOUS MIGRANT WOMEN AND GIRLS IN COLOMBIA.

SUMMARY The proposed program aims to address the environmental challenges faced by Venezuelan migrant indigenous women and girls in Colombia. It seeks to guarantee their environmental rights, promote their empowerment and preserve their cultural traditions. The program focuses on equitable access to natural resources, capacity building, environmental awareness, comprehensive protection, and inter-institutional cooperation. It will be implemented through strategic alliances and monitoring indicators will be established to assess its effectiveness. This programme represents an important step towards an inclusive and sustainable society.The diagnosis reveals that the massive displacement of Venezuelans to Colombia has generated significant environmental impacts, which disproportionately affect indigenous women and girls. These communities face obstacles in accessing vital natural resources, such as clean water, food, adequate shelter and basic services. This not only jeopardizes their well-being, but also their ability to preserve their cultural traditions and ancestral knowledge. KEY WORDS: women, indigenous, migrants, Venezuelans, natural resources, crisis, comprehensive protection.

COMPREHENSIVE FOOD SECURITY PROJECT WITH THE CONTRIBUTION OF INDIGENOUS FARMER FIELD SCHOOLS: THE PALMITO CASE, SUCRE, COLOMBIA.

SUMMARY Ecoceanos Corporation contributes 1 farmer field school to promote food security for vulnerable families in the municipality of San Antonio De Palmito, Sucre. In 2020, Ecoceanos and the farmers of the community met with an NGO (Bosquecolombiano), to plan a comprehensive food security project. The project begins in 2021, with two phases; the first ends in the same year and the second concluded in 2023. This project was implemented to improve the livelihoods of 420 vulnerable families of extreme and high food insecurity with the reduction of 30% of children classified below average height by age in the project area; and a 25% increase in the value of family productive assets. The methodology of work with families focuses on productive and environmental aspects, and a design of non-formal adult education was applied. During the time that the project was applied, it was concluded that the methodology worked to strengthen organizational capacities, support for agricultural production, animal health, agricultural exchange events, post-harvest, which is expected to be replicated and sustainable because it is based on organizations with decision, where peasant women play a very important role. Keywords: schools, food security, indigenous, training.

PEDAGOGICAL PROJECT IN THE ZENÚ INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY WITH VICTIMS OF SOCIAL DISCRIMINATION BELONGING TO THE LGTBIQ COMMUNITY

SUMMARYIn 2022, the Ecoceanos Corporation provided psychological support, workshops and educational talks to the Afro-descendant community located in northern Colombia. Several members of this community are strongly discriminated against by their own families, as they are not allowed to be part of the LGTIBQ community, forcing some to abandon their homes, in search of a more dignified life where they do not feel the rejection of society. Through interviews, we explored various discourses, meanings and practices that are permeated by various religious, cultural and social factors that often end up legitimizing different forms of discrimination associated with the reproduction of stereotypes.Keywords: LGBTIQ, discrimination, abuse, neglect.

RENEWABLE ENERGIES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL AREAS OF COLOMBIA.

The energy balance of the Los Altos – Tolu Viejo, is presented and the renewable energy potential is estimated. It is shown that only a rigorous approach to sustainability guarantees an impact on the economic development of the community, taking into account the sustainability criteria required by the Clean Development Mechanism. An energy model was developed to calculate the demand for irrigation, according to climatic, orographic and crop variables. Key words: sustainable development, renewable energies, CDM, LULUCF.

CONSTRUCTION OF A DRINKING WATER TREATMENT PLANT FOR THE ZENÚ INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY IN PURÍSIMA, COLOMBIA.

SUMMARYThis article presents the initial living conditions of the members of the Zenú indigenous community, among these conditions are the water supply for consumption, health, welfare and environmental conditions. This community is located in lands adjacent to the Purísima village, in which they do not have the supply of basic sanitary services (drinking water, electricity, gas, among others) for the development of life and other activities related to it. According to the above, the Zenú indigenous community lacks the necessary conditions for the development of a good quality of life, emphasizing the precarious water supply system they have, as this has brought with it different environmental, social, economic and health problems, since the liquid is not received with the quality parameters established by the Colombian technical standards. Due to this problem identified in the indigenous community, a sanitary solution was proposed, which consisted in the construction and start-up of a raw water treatment plant, in order to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants, reduce diseases, improve the development of economic activities, prevent internal conflicts, etc.Key words: Drinking water, Indigenous community, Health, Environment, wellbeing.

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED PACIFIC SPECIES: TRAFFICKING AND SALE OF MEAT IN THE MARKET OF QUIBDÓ, COLOMBIA.

SUMMARY The lack of regulation in the monitoring of shark trade by species is a major challenge that Colombia shares with several countries in the world, mainly due to the difficulties to identify at the species level, using the shark parts traded (dried fins, meat and processed). To address these conservation and management problems, in the present study we applied a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay with species-specific primers based on the ITS2 ribosomal region. In addition, we characterized the shark meat trade in the wholesale market of the city of Quibdó, Colombia, which functions as a collection center for the trade of this product. Results based on the identification of tissues by multiplex PCR reveal that the trade is composed of at least two species. Oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) and pelagic thresher shark (Alopias pelagicus). A total of 93.26% (n=138) of the samples analyzed corresponded to species listed in one of the IUCN threat categories. The molecular technique applied in this study has proven to be reliable, fast and useful for the identification of shark species, making it a key tool for strengthening traceability systems and the chain of custody of shark products. KEYWORDS: CONSERVATION, TRADE, GENETIC IDENTIFICATION, QUIBDÓ, ITS2, PCR MULTIPLEX, SHARKS, IUCN.

INCLUSION OF RENEWABLE ENERGIES FOR ZENÚ INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN SAN ANDRÉS DE SOTAVENTO, COLOMBIA.

In 2021, the ECOCEANOS Corporation works in agreement with the Zenú indigenous community, located in the reservations of San Andrés de Sotavento, Colombia. This project aimed to include renewable energies for the mitigation of the effects of climate change, in the indigenous reservation that is home to 500 families, located 2 km from the Colombian Atlantic coast. The indigenous reservation is plagued by problems of basic needs; Among them, having electricity, vital to have access to social, professional and cultural opportunities. The ECOCEANOS Corporation and the University of the Caribbean carry out the installation of 50 photovoltaic kits to benefit 50 artisan indigenous mothers, thus having access to sewing machines for fabric manufacturing, hat making and also being able to cook in electric stoves in favor of the environment. This project impacts the community significantly, providing decent work opportunities (micro-enterprises) and capacity to participate in the development, implementation and evaluation of sustainable policies and measures aimed at combating climate change.

ANNUAL REPORT 2022

Dear partners,It is our pleasure to address you at this time to express our deep appreciation for your continued efforts in environmental conservation.Thanks to their dedication and commitment, we have achieved a number of important goals in protecting the environment. Thanks to your support, we have been able to implement a series of effective measures to reduce our carbon footprint, protect our ecosystems and promote sustainable development.Reforestation projects, the creation of protected areas and environmental education for local communities are just a few examples of the achievements we have achieved together.We are proud to work with a group of people so committed and dedicated to the cause of environmental conservation. Together, we are confident that we can continue to make a significant difference in the world.THE ECOCEANOS CORPORATION continued with its mission of protecting, conserving and restoring the Zenú indigenous culture by working together with our local allies, donors and strategic partners, during 2022. We managed to exceed the annual reforestation goal, expand our marine conservation areas, monitor species in danger and bring help to the most disadvantaged communities, which are the strong arm of our actions on the ground.We appreciate the valuable contribution of all the people who were part of these achievements.A sick planet shows us its symptoms and the aggressive response of our society to reactivate the world economy puts the sustainable use of natural resources at risk. This panorama is the preamble of a social change to understand the importance of nature in the stability of the planet. The next few years remain challenging, but one thing is certain: we can overcome the challenges, we have the opportunity to save our home, the Earth, conservation cannot stop.A big hug to all, let’s keep taking care of ourselves. ANNUAL REPORT – ECOCEANOS Descargar / DOWNLOAD PDF

CONSERVATION STRATEGIES FOR 3 ENDANGERED SPECIES OF SHARKS, ON THE COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN COAST.

RESUMEThis plan is a pioneer in the conservation of 3 species of sharks: ‘Carcharhinus porosus’, ‘Carcharhinus longimanus’ and ‘Sphyrna lewini’. On the Colombian Atlantic coast, a 58% reduction in the biomass of sharks and rays has been identified between 1970 and 2007 (García et al., 2007). We have registered a progressive decrease over time of the landing volumes and reduction in the average catch sizes, and in the insular zone of the Caribbean (Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina) a strong fishery aimed at the extraction of these organisms, which captured mostly juvenile individuals (Castro-González and BallesterosGalvis, 2018). Despite this evidence of deterioration in elasmobranch populations, their extraction patterns have been poorly documented in Colombia. Additionally, it has been diagnosed that there is a clear deficiency of knowledge in different biological and ecological aspects that are relevant for the conservation and management of the species of sharks of species ‘Carcharhinus porosus’, ‘Carcharhinus longimanus’ and ‘Sphyrna lewini’. The panorama described above and the need for the countries of the world to generate their own strategies for the ordering of cartilaginous fish, leads ECOCEANOS CORPORATION to formulate the National Action Plan for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (PAN-Tiburones Colombia). This plan is a pioneer in including management and conservation proposals for sharks in Colombia.This is a national proposal in accordance with the regional particularity of the geographical areas of the Colombian Atlantic coast, differentiated by the fishing carried out in each one of them, the established fishing communities and the species of sharks and rays associated in the catches. The Action Plan is supported by the previous diagnostic document, consigned in this document. Finally, the Action Plan is structured in such a way that it covers investigative, legal and governance issues, surveillance and control, education and dissemination, management and conservation strategies, and a phase of permanent evaluation of progress in related activities and adjustments of the same Plan over time. Keywords: Smalltail Shark, Oceanic Whitetip Shark, Scalloped Hammerhead Shark; Zenú indigenouscommunity; sustainable fishing, extinction.

COMMUNITY PLAN FOR THE CONSERVATION OF RAYS ON THE COLOMBIAN PACIFIC COAST

RESUMENRay populations in the Colombian Pacific are being decimated to the point of extermination. The three species of giant rays are targeted by small indigenous Emberá fishermen: Giant Manta Ray (Mobula birostris), Bentfin Devilray (Mobula thurstoni) and Sicklefin Devilray (Mobula tarapacana). Poaching of sea rays off the Colombian Pacific coast is still rampant, but today, instead of traveling with nets, poachers simply buy live rays stored by local (Emberá indigenous) fishermen who hide them on remote islands or in mangrove streams. Because rays need to breathe, poachers keep them in locally constructed rectangular fish cages of floating drums and wood, with nets suspended in the middle, or tied or chained directly to coral in shallow water. The costs and resources required to survey this vast area are prohibitive for local enforcement agencies and logistically complex.Through this plan, we seek the comprehensive protection of 3 species of rays by strengthening the conservation capacities of the Emberá indigenous community, with conservation, education, sustainability and communication strategies.The end result will be an increase in the conservation status of the three targeted ray species through population growth and mitigation of threats to this species on the Colombian Pacific coast.Key words: Ray populations, Colombian Pacific coast, protected marina area, Emberá indigenous community.