Caquetá: the Green Treasure of Colombia
Located in the heart of the Colombian Amazon, the department of Caquetá demonstrates that it is possible to move towards a development model that combines forest conservation, sustainable production and well-being for rural communities.
Over the past few decades, the region has faced significant challenges related to the expansion of the agricultural frontier, deforestation, and limited economic opportunities for rural populations. In recent years, however, various initiatives driven by the government of Caquetá, communities, local organizations, public institutions, research centers, and international cooperation agencies have begun to consolidate new development alternatives based on the sustainable use of Amazonian biodiversity.
In this context, the GCF Task Force 16th Annual Meeting in Caquetá offers the opportunity to learn about eight concrete experiences that show how the Amazonian territories are moving towards a New Forest Economy.
This approach promotes a development model that integrates:
- Bioeconomy, based on the sustainable use of Amazonian biodiversity.
- Natural Infrastructure, recognizing forests as essential systems for climate, water and the productivity of the territory.
- Restoration of degraded landscapes, to recover the ecological functionality of ecosystems.
- Sustainable Commodities, which seek to improve productivity in already impacted areas while avoiding the expansion of the frontier into the forest.
The field visits allowed participants to learn about initiatives that integrate these principles at different scales of the territory, including:
- Nature tourism and forest conservation
- Bioeconomy based on Amazonian products
- Agroforestry systems and productive restoration
- Sustainable livestock farming
- Ecological restoration
- Peacebuilding, reintegration initiatives and green economies
- Research and innovation for the Amazon bioeconomy
Participants were able to engage in direct dialogue with producers, communities, researchers, and local organizations, who are leading territorial transformation processes that demonstrate that economic development and the conservation of Amazonian forests can advance together.
The GCF Task Force Field Day in Caquetá seeks precisely to highlight these experiences and open a space for exchange on how subnational governments, communities and international allies can accelerate the transition to a New Forest Economy for the Amazon.
Field Visit Routes
Each of these 8 experiences illustrates how Caquetá is building development alternatives compatible with the protection of the Amazon rainforest, providing relevant lessons for other tropical regions of the world.
1. La Avispa Waterfall
Nature, Water, and Forest Conservation
La Avispa Nature and Ecotourism Reserve, located approximately 30–40 minutes from Florencia, is a conservation area of about 232 hectares of Amazon rainforest, where nature tourism has become a tool to promote environmental education and the protection of the territory.
The tour began with a guided walk along natural trails that lead to the Ingerí Canyon, where the El Avispón and La Avispa waterfalls are located, natural formations of approximately 55 and 45 meters in height that feed pools of crystal clear water in the middle of the Amazon rainforest.
During the visit, participants learned about the richness of the Amazonian ecosystem and how local responsible tourism initiatives contribute to forest conservation, the protection of water sources, conservation strategies and environmental education in natural areas, and the generation of economic opportunities for rural communities.
Beyond its scenic beauty, the reserve represents an example of how natural ecosystems can become a basis for sustainable territorial development models, based on the conservation and responsible use of natural heritage.
New Forestry Economy Building Blocks:
– Natural Infrastructure: Conservation of forests and water sources that regulate the climate and sustain local ecosystems.
– Bioeconomy : Development of nature tourism as a sustainable economic alternative based on natural heritage.
2. Paraíso Amazónico
Nature Tourism, Amazonia Culture, and Land Restoration
In the heart of the Colombian Amazon lies the Paraíso Amazónico Nature and Ecotourism Reserve, a space that integrates forest conservation, ecological restoration, and nature tourism as a strategy for sustainable land development. This territory is characterized by cloud forest ecosystems, exceptionally pure water sources, and high biodiversity, which together form a landscape where the interaction between nature and Amazonian culture is fully expressed. The experience offers insight into how local initiatives have successfully integrated tourism with conservation efforts, environmental education, and the strengthening of food sovereignty.
During the field visit, participants connected with cultural practices unique to the Amazon region, where ancestral knowledge, the relationship with Mother Earth, and rural traditions are integrated into an experience that combines local cuisine, environmental interpretation, and hands-on experiences in the forest. Beyond its scenic value, Paraíso Amazónico represents a model of tourism that contributes to forest protection, ecological restoration, the generation of sustainable income, and the appreciation of the region’s cultural and natural heritage.
New Forestry Economy Building Blocks:
– Bioeconomy: Development of nature-based tourism and cultural experiences as an economic alternative based on the sustainable use of natural and cultural heritage.
– Natural Infrastructure: Conservation of strategic ecosystems that regulate water and climate and sustain the territory’s biodiversity.
3. Caquetá Cheese Route
Sustainable Livestock Farming and Territorial Value
The Caquetá Cheese Route is an agro-ecological tourism and rural development initiative that highlights Caquetá Cheese, the first Colombian cheese with a Denomination of Origin.
During the field visit, participants visited cattle farms that have incorporated sustainable livestock practices, aimed at improving the productivity of production systems without expanding the agricultural frontier into primary forests.
Visitors learned firsthand about the traditional processes of making dairy products such as quesillo, double cream cheese and salted chopped cheese, as well as the organizational experiences of rural producers and commercial strategies to strengthen value chains that have allowed these products to be positioned with territorial identity.
This initiative connects more than 1,500 producer families in the department, strengthening rural economies and promoting productive practices compatible with conservation of the Amazonian landscape.
New Forestry Economy Building Blocks:
– Sustainable Intensification: Improvement of livestock productivity in areas already intervened to avoid expansion into the forest.
– Bioeconomy : Valorization of territorial products with identity and designation of origin.
4. Agroforestry and Meliponiculture
Pollinators of the Amazon Rainforest
This experience will allow you to learn about an agroforestry system of Amazonian fruit trees associated with meliponiculture, where agricultural production is integrated with the breeding of native stingless bees, which are fundamental to the health of Amazonian ecosystems.
During the tour, participants will visit a demonstration farm where a production system has been established that combines Amazonian fruit species, native trees and associated crops, creating a model that integrates production, biodiversity and forest conservation.
This route will showcase the operation of meliponaries, where native bees are raised as a strategy to strengthen forest pollination and improve the productivity of agroforestry systems. Participants will be able to observe the hives, learn about the management process, and discover the ecological and economic value of these pollinators.
The visit will also allow for an analysis of how these systems contribute to diversifying the income of rural families, through the production of honey, propolis and other derivatives with high value in specialized markets.
During the visit you will be able to learn about:
- Agroforestry systems with Amazonian species
- Management of meliponaries and native bees
- Pollination processes and forest biodiversity
- Bioeconomy opportunities based on forest products
New Forestry Economy Building Blocks:
– Bioeconomy : Production of honey and derivatives from native bees with high value in specialized markets.
– Restoration: Agroforestry systems that integrate trees, crops and biodiversity to recover ecological functions of the landscape.
5. Agroforestry Systems of Copoazú – Agrosolidaria
Food Forests and Solidarity Economy
The visit will allow participants to learn about the experience of Agrosolidaria Florencia, an organization that brings together more than 250 rural producers, who have developed agroforestry systems based on Amazonian species such as copoazú, arazá, sacha inchi and açaí.
Through their initiative called “Food Forests”, the producers have promoted production models that integrate trees, crops and biodiversity, taking advantage of the natural vocation of the Amazonian soil and contributing to the recovery of productive landscapes.
During the experience, visitors will be able to tour agroforestry plots where different species of the Amazon rainforest are combined and learn how these systems generate sustainable income without the need to expand the agricultural frontier.
The tour also includes a visit to the Copoazú processing plant, where food and value-added products are made, as well as supplies for the cosmetics industry based on Amazonian ingredients.
During the visit you will be able to learn about:
- Agroforestry systems with Amazonian species
- Models of rural solidarity economy
- Processes for transforming Amazonian products
- Value chains of the Amazonian bioeconomy
New Forestry Economy Building Blocks:
– Bioeconomy : Development of value chains based on products from the Amazon rainforest.
– Restoration: Implementation of agroforestry systems that recover degraded soils and productive landscapes.
6. ETCR Agua Bonita
Reintegration and Sustainable Economies
The Agua Bonita Territorial Training and Reintegration Space (ETCR), located in the municipality of La Montañita, is a representative experience of the reintegration process of signatories of the Peace Agreement in Colombia.
Photos by Government of Caquetá.
During the visit, participants will be able to learn firsthand about the progress, lessons learned, and challenges of the economic and social reintegration process in the department of Caquetá.
The tour will allow visitors to explore community-led initiatives, including pineapple cultivation and the community nursery, projects that aim to strengthen sustainable rural economies and contribute to the restoration of degraded areas.
Visitors will also be able to learn how these initiatives have been supported by Colombian state institutions, international cooperation agencies, and social organizations, as well as the active role of the community in the formulation and implementation of these projects.
During the visit you will be able to learn about:
- Experiences of productive reintegration
- Sustainable agricultural projects
- Nurseries for ecological restoration
- Community initiatives for territorial development
New Forestry Economy Building Blocks
– Restoration: Production of plant material and recovery of degraded areas.
– Bioeconomy : Generation of sustainable rural economies in peacebuilding processes.
7. SINCHI Experience – ABRIGUE Project
Science, Innovation and Agroecological Transition
The visit will allow us to learn about the experience that the SINCHI Amazonian Institute for Scientific Research has been developing in the department of Caquetá through the ABRIGUE Project (Agroecology, Bioeconomy, Resilience, Innovation, Governance and European Union).
Photos by GCF Task Force.
This project seeks to promote the transition to sustainable agri-food systems in forest frontier areas, combining scientific research, technological innovation and local knowledge.
During the tour, experiences developed on pilot farms of agroecological transition will be presented, where productive practices are implemented aimed at reducing deforestation, improving agricultural productivity and strengthening resilience to climate change.
The project began with 27 pilot farms, later expanding its reach to more than 300 farms belonging to producer associations, benefiting thousands of rural families in the Amazon region.
During the visit you will be able to learn about:
- Agroecological transition models
- Innovations for the Amazonian bioeconomy
- Production systems with zero deforestation
- Experiences in applied research in the territory
New Forestry Economy Building Blocks
– Restoration: Transition towards production systems with zero deforestation and ecological restoration.
– Sustainable Intensification: Increased productivity through agroecological practices in areas that have already been intervened.
8. La Patrona
Women Transforming Sugarcane into Amazonian Sustainability
On this route, participants will learn about an inspiring experience led by rural women who have managed to transform the traditional production of sugar cane into a model of intensification in the new forestry economy with territorial impact.
The “La Patrona” initiative currently brings together 65 producer families in the municipalities of Belén de los Andaquíes, Albania and San José del Fragua, who for approximately six years have been consolidating a productive process that integrates cultivation, transformation and marketing of sugar cane derivatives.
The experience begins on cattle farms that have incorporated sugarcane cultivation as a productive diversification strategy, moving towards more sustainable practices. Subsequently, the production is collected and processed collectively in the La Reforma village, in Belén de los Andaquíes, where the field visit will take place.
During the visit you will be able to learn about:
Regarding the production process:
- Establishment and management of the crop
- Harvesting the cane
- Artisanal and semi-industrial transformation processes
Regarding the production of value-added products, among which the following stand out:
- Panela honey
- Nutritional bars
- Sugarcane juice
- Other innovative derivatives
Beyond the productive component, this experience highlights the leadership of rural women, who have been the organizing axis of the process, strengthening associative capacities and overcoming structural barriers, especially in access to markets.
One of the main achievements has been the consolidation of marketing channels with local companies, allowing for improved family income and the positioning of products with territorial identity.
New Forestry Economy Building Blocks:
– Bioeconomy, Gender, and Convergence to generate sustainable alternatives in the
Community Organization: Amazonia. – Sustainable intensification: Contributing to productive diversification, reducing pressures on the forest and strengthening the social fabric.
Tourist Activities in Caquetá
Historical tour of Florencia, Caquetá (Capital of the Department)
See and enjoy a 2-hour tour of the city’s main tourist and cultural attractions, where you can learn about the history, identity, and richness of the Caquetá capital.
The tour includes visits to representative sites such as:
- Palace of Fine Arts of the Amazon (Former Curiplaya Building)
- Caquetá Museum
- Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral
- Pizarro Square
- Santander Park
- La Concordia Market Square
- Representative monuments
- Gran Plaza Shopping Center
Recommendations from the Deputy Secretariat for Entrepreneurship and Tourism of the Caquetá Governorate:
DISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF THE LAS PALMAS ECOTOURISM RESERVE
Full Day Trip:
All-inclusive experience, round-trip transportation, snacks and hydration, insurance, guide, photographs and entrance fees.
Standard Day Pass:
The same services as the Full Day pass, but this one does not include transportation.
Backpacking Plan:
This budget tour does not include transportation or snacks; however, all other services are included in this category.
For more information, contact us via WhatsApp at +55 (310) 573-6911
