What we do

We build place-based visions together with our community partners, and facilitate the development of landscape-level impact.

In the process, we offer technical support where requested in the following three areas:

  • Ridge-to-reef governance

  • Strengthening of local food systems

  • Natural Farming and Agroforestry

Ridge-to-reef governance

We support coastal communities to govern and manage their territories through an integrated ridge-to-reef approach.

Depending on the context, our efforts are focused on:

  • Advancing the recognition or strengthening of the tenurial rights of Indigenous Peoples or local communities.

  • Revitalizing and strengthening Indigenous Peoples (Adat) or local communities’ institutions.

  • Participatory mapping of the boundaries of community land and sea territories.

  • Tools and processes to develop spatial and management plans for their territories and natural resources.

  • Support for the monitoring of marine and terrestrial resources to complement traditional ecological knowledge and equip communities with data and knowledge for adaptive management.

  • Support on local ecological restoration efforts to restore degraded ecosystems.

Strengthening of local food systems

We support communities to meet their own nutritional needs, while developing strategies to better position their involvement in value chains:

  • Develop mechanisms to strengthen local food systems by analyzing production, distribution and consumption patterns.

  • Management of culturally important food sources e.g. Sago.

  • Assess agricultural, fisheries and forestry-based commodity value chains and develop strategies to better position community participation.

  • Strengthen capacity on labour rights associated with local food-based value chains.

  • Advocacy for small-scale fisher and farmer rights in government platforms.

  • Strengthen perceptions on food sovereignty at village levels.

Natural Farming and Agroforestry

We offer mentorship for household and small-holder farmers based on agro-ecological principles to build sustained social and ecological health.

Depending on the local conditions, practices and resources, our efforts are focused on:

  • Cultivating soil health and biodiversity.

  • Chemical free and low input land management systems.

  • Encouraging indigenous and heirloom seed saving and exchanges.

  • Strengthening the capacities for communities to manage their gardens or concessions in alignment with ecological systems.

  • Developing multi-functional agroforestry systems to meet human, wildlife and ecological needs.