Asociación de Productores del pueblo Arhuaco de La Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta – ASOARHUACO

Nestled in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta—the world’s highest coastal mountain range in the tropics and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve—the Arhuacos, along with three other Indigenous Peoples, have protected their sacred lands for decades. In 2015, they established ASOARHUACO, an association of Arhuaco agroforestry producers, to enhance their livelihoods and preserve their ancestral territory. ASOARHUACO focuses on sustainable agroforestry, cultivating organic coffee, cocoa, and sugarcane, and has successfully tapped into European markets. Additionally, a women’s group within ASOARHUACO, comprising 120 Arhuaco women, crafts traditional backpacks as a means of livelihood. Demonstrating its commitment to environmental and social equilibrium, ASOARHUACO has partnered with Sacred Forests on a new initiative employing a payment-for-ecosystem-services model. This project aims to restore and reforest lands invaded by outsiders, conserving sacred sites for the Arhuacos. By the end of 2023, the initiative had acquired 14 properties totaling 1,732 hectares. Throughout its endeavors, ASOARHUACO reflects the collective efforts of the community, including the active participation of their spiritual leaders, the Mamos.