Context
Thanks to its geographical location and various ecosystems, Ecuador is one of the countries with the most biodiversity on Earth. This diversity, however, is under threat from a number of different factors.

Preserving it and preventing deforestation and degradation requires more effective coordination among the various stakeholders responsible. Furthermore, economic activities that conserve Ecuador's biological wealth need to become standard practice.

Objective
The Ecuadorian Government has succeeded in protecting the country's biodiversity and slowing the process of deforestation.

Approach
The project promotes development strategies that preserve biodiversity in select areas of the Amazon and coastal regions. To that end, it is working with local and indigenous communities, business entities, local administrations, scientists and Ecuador's central government.

The project is training local and national stakeholders to preserve and utilise biodiversity in sustainable ways.
It is improving the coordination and implementation of measures that make environmentally friendly use of biodiversity.
It is strengthening the value chains of products and services that preserve biodiversity.
It is promoting competencies related to the development and fulfilment of sustainability criteria in agriculture and aquaculture.
It is supporting the use of research and traditional knowledge in developing products and services in the area of biodiversity.
The project is engaged in four regions: two along the coast (Esmeraldas and Santa Elena/Manabí) and two in the Amazon region (Napo/Pastaza and Morona Santiago). It is being carried out together with the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition (MAATE) and the consortium Como - Eco Consult.