Environmental Expectations, Socioeconomic Demands and Sustainability of the Zapatosa Marsh, Colombia: Perspectives from Local Stakeholders

Jhon Wilson Mejía Montoya, Steveen Alexander González, Jimmy Jolman Vargas and Richard Rios ()
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Jhon Wilson Mejía Montoya: Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellín, Medellín 050034, Colombia
Steveen Alexander González: Departamento de Economía, Universidad Popular del Cesar, Seccional Aguachica, Aguachica 25010, Colombia
Jimmy Jolman Vargas: Instituto de Genetica, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
Richard Rios: Dirección Académica, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede de La Paz, La Paz 202017, Colombia

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 24, 1-22

Abstract: The Zapatosa Marsh Complex (ZMC) is a strategic ecosystem in Colombia, under threat from human-driven factors such as population growth and subsistence extraction activities. Local residents experience high poverty levels and low educational attainment, exacerbating conflicts between their socio-economic needs and marsh conservation efforts. This study aimed to present a participatory approach to prioritize actions for sustainable development in Chimichagua, the municipality encompassing the largest part of the ZMC. We identified and characterized local stakeholders, engaging them in a participatory action research project to determine barriers and opportunities for economic growth and food security. The insights gathered were collaboratively used to formulate actions that balance the sustainability of the ZMC with local economic development. Stakeholders identified the ZMC as an opportunity for employment and raw materials, while pointing to poor support from territorial entities as the central barrier. A prioritized action was the construction of a concentrate feed production plant utilizing local raw materials. This work offers a methodological contribution that could be applied to address socio-economic and environmental conflicts in other strategic ecosystems.

Keywords: participatory action research; sustainable rural development; conflicts; socio-ecological systems; environmental conservation; unsatisfied basic needs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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