Natural resource management matters
At the IAF, we support community-led solutions that focus on strengthening resilience and improving environmental outcomes through sustainable natural resource management. Our work prioritizes a holistic approach to development. We respond to communities’ needs with financial support for projects that connect conservation with enterprise development, inclusion, food security and alternatives to migration, among other program areas.
Environmental challenges affect livelihoods around the world. In communities where we work, persistent drought and severe storms represent an urgent, tangible threat to individuals and families already facing economic disadvantage and other barriers. These communities often bear the brunt of environmental impact, making it even more difficult for residents to improve living conditions.
We know that degradation of natural resources in Latin America and the Caribbean directly undermines overall economic opportunity, governance and security of civil society. Working with local organizations puts us in a unique position to work directly with the people who feel these affects the most. It also shows us how small investments lead to big, life-changing improvements over time.
Talk about community-led development!
Recent News and Stories
Investments for Impact: A Visit to Costa Rican Microbusinesses
Meet the rural business owners who are benefitting from our first-ever impact investment in Empresa para el Desarrollo, a Costa Rican microcredit lender.
Community Resilience in the Time of COVID-19: Lessons from the 2017 Mexican Earthquakes
For international humanitarian relief, it may seem faster and more efficient to respond with a “one-size-fits-all” approach to disaster recovery. But communities that lead their own solutions are more engaged throughout recovery, ultimately rebuilding stronger.
Cultivating Women’s Leadership in Cacao Production
In Guatemala, indigenous leadership of an export enterprise is rare, and indigenous women’s leadership is even rarer. Our grantee partner ProPetén is committed to training its Q’eqchi’ cacao producers to succeed in a complex marketplace.