Barrick’s Post

An important new partnership announced today in Canadian agriculture between DUC and Farm Credit Canada (FCC). We are now partnering with FCC’s Sustainability Incentive Program. Producers who participate in DUC’s Marginal Areas Program in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are further incentivized to convert unproductive cropland into a more biodiverse state by planting perennial forage. Ducks Unlimited Canada FCC / FAC #sustainableagriculture Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada/ Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada #biodiversity #climatemitigation

Ekodada Tackling the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15 Prosopis juliflora, originally from South America, became a problem in Kenya after being introduced to combat desertification and firewood shortages. Its unchecked spread is causing issues for farms and grazing lands, impacting both people and the environment. Finding a solution that balances nature and local needs is tough. The most effective strategy involves finding economic uses for it and restoring areas it has invaded. The aim of UN Sustainable Development Goal 15 is to minimize the harm caused by invasive species on both land and water ecosystems and to tackle or eliminate the most problematic species. To manage Prosopis effectively, there are various strategies ranging from short-term to long-term. These strategies depend on factors like how much Prosopis has spread, how severe its impact is, and how well communities can adapt. Successful management and control of Prosopis involve tasks like physically removing it, processing, and using the plant material, and actively managing the land, such as by growing crops with irrigation or using it for grazing. However, to tackle this issue properly, it's crucial to have support from both political and institutional bodies. The goal is to protect people's livelihoods while also minimizing the damage to the environment and other sectors of the economy. #EkodadaYetu #TransformingWeedtoWealth,#UnleashingtheblackGold

We are happy to announce that we are providing pre-investment support with the Landscape Resilience Fund (LRF) to the French-Brazilian açai producer Nossa! Fruits. At the same time, we are looking for co-investors to come on board. Please reach out if you're interested. Here are a few facts: Nossa Fruits, led by Founder and CEO Damien Binois, sources 100% certified organic frozen produce from the state of Pará, Brazil, in the Amazon rainforest. It also aims for 100% fair trade certification, which no other açai company has so far achieved. Nossa Fruits actively engages in low-impact açai agroforestry management, contributing to the adaptation of açai smallholders to climate change while protecting the açai ecosystem itself. Collaborating closely with local cooperatives and research institutions like Embrapa and EMATER-MG, Nossa Fruits enhances adaptive capacities, facilitates knowledge exchange, and strengthens community bonds. The positive impacts ripple beyond agriculture, fostering gender equity and promoting biodiversity. Açai is not just a trendy culinary delight, as it plays a fundamental role in the food security and livelihoods of the ribeirinhos in the Amazon estuary region.  It is the main household income source for over 80% of the local population during the harvest season. To further embed climate resilience into its business model and maximize the support of smallholders, the company envisions constructing their own off-grid factory. This approach would not only give Nossa Fruits full control over their supply chain and provide unprecedented traceability, but also help facilitate the implementation of smallholder farmer training programs, child labor monitoring, and impact measurement Additionally, the LRF will assist in developing policies and procedures for their environmental and social risk management, as well as tools for climate resilience impact measurement and fundraising. This support aims to reduce uncertainties and enhance the success of Nossa Fruits’ climate-resilient initiatives. The partnership between Nossa Fruits and the LRF signifies a significant step towards building climate adaptation in the Amazon at a time when it is needed most. Nossa Fruits sets a powerful example for companies worldwide, demonstrating that business and sustainability can mutually reinforce each other, especially when guided by a commitment to environmental stewardship and community well-being. Nossa is one more company that the LRF can support through its technical assistance facility financed by the Global Environment Facility. #impactinvesting #acai #amazon #climatefinance #conservationfinance #climateadaptation South Pole WWF Switzerland WWF Germany https://lnkd.in/ewqRdjqC

Large-scale farming and deforestation are putting our landscapes and natural habitats at risk. The Government of Ghana, Partnerships for Forests and South Pole have teamed up together to create a solution for these challenges – the Cocoa Landscape Investment Facility (CLIF). Read how the CLIF is helping preserve biodiversity and empower local communities in Ghana, and learn how sustainable finance mechanisms, like CLIF, can guide countries, companies, and local producers toward more sustainable landscape management. Daniela Monteiro, Dylan Marks #Deforestation #Cocoa #Ghana #ClimateImpactforAll

Ethiopia's agroforestry initiatives face challenges in proving their impact on tree planting and #carbon capture. Digital #MRV #MSMEs can address these issues by providing a combination of cost-effective data collection tools, real-time monitoring through mobile apps and satellite imagery, and improved project management through data-driven insights. This transparency and efficiency will boost trust with stakeholders and improve the overall effectiveness of these important environmental projects. In Hulla district of Sidama, Sikuare Debelo, 23, and Melese Melmela, 26, are leading a revolution. As members of one of 30 Digital MSMEs in their district, they’ve received extensive training in dMRV (digital monitoring, reporting, and verification) technologies like KoboToolbox. With further training in business development, life skills, and accounting, these trailblazers and their fellow MSME members are leveraging mobile applications and cloud-based platforms to gather and analyze field data with unprecedented efficiency. From mapping smallholder farmer plots to identifying areas for afforestation and monitoring plantation health, their work is critical to how we understand and manage our natural resources. The MSMEs on average earn up to 70,000 birr (€1,100) for a week-long mapping assignment. Sikuare's involvement is particularly inspiring. Overcoming societal barriers and challenging #gender norms, she’s become a champion for empowerment amongst women in the region. Her journey serves as inspiration to others to seize opportunities to drive economic development in their communities. Sikuare and Melese are at the forefront of monitoring carbon emissions, conserving biodiversity, and promoting sustainable land management practices across various value chains, including #bamboo agroforestry, coffee, honey and #biochar production. But their impact goes beyond data collection and monitoring - it unlocks access to carbon finance, paving the way for a greener, more equitable, and sustainable future. Notably, the digital MSME offers high earning potential, with tremendous business growth opportunities. This initiative diversifies rural job opportunities for youth and women, while enabling market certification in compliance with international standards for agroforest products. This ensures access to global markets seeking traceable, sustainably sourced, and deforestation-free products. Additionally, African Bamboo purchases bamboo culms at a 20% higher price than market rates from producers who demonstrate FSC compliance and MRV traceability, thereby incentivizing sustainable practices. Sikuare and Melese’s journeys are a good example of the catalytic impact that digital literacy and #upskilling can have on rural communities in Hulla and beyond. Learn more about our project on explorer.land by OpenForests here: https://lnkd.in/eSc4_kmg

We all love to indulge in a piece of quality chocolate but this can come at an environmental cost. Imagine if we could truly enjoy the treat and protect rainforests too. Well, get ready for some seriously good news! Forestwise and Terratai, have joined forces to make exactly that happen. We are thrilled to announce a groundbreaking partnership between Forestwise and Terratai, aimed at driving impactful change in the protection of rainforests in Kalimantan. Forestwise, a pioneering company dedicated to halting deforestation in Kalimantan's rainforests, has joined forces with Terratai, a boutique investment and venture building company committed to supporting biodiversity and nature protection through finance. Terratai's investment will empower Forestwise's efforts to harvest, produce, and distribute illipe butter, a sustainable alternative to cocoa butter derived from the Shorea stenoptera tree. This partnership will not only bolster Forestwise's mission to establish markets for valuable rainforest products but also create long-lasting income streams for local farmer communities, providing crucial financial alternatives to destructive rainforest conversion. With over a thousand illipe nut collectors supported through this initiative, spanning an area nearly three times the size of Singapore, Forestwise and Terratai are set to double the income for farmers while minimizing environmental and social costs compared to monoculture plantations. Terratai's strategic guidance and operational support, coupled with Forestwise's expertise in rainforest conservation, will pave the way for resilient growth and aligned future investments. Together, we aim to measure the co-benefits of this business model, quantifying its impact on ecosystem services, climate mitigation, and biodiversity protection in West Kalimantan. Dirk-Jan Oudshoorn, CEO of Forestwise, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, emphasizing its significance in scaling sustainable rainforest conservation efforts. Matt Leggett, CEO of Terratai, echoed this sentiment, highlighting Forestwise's unique ability to drive progress in forest protection while bringing unique commodities to the global market. Join us as we embark on this journey towards meaningful change, paving the way for a more sustainable future and combating deforestation one step at a time. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gcnzihnU Alexander van Oord Theo Smits Matt Leggett Fajar Anugerah Yuni Yunseong C. Estherina Daniel Andina Dwi Kanti #RainforestValue #ForestProtection #Terratai #Forestwise #ImpactInvestment #NatureBasedSolutions #Nature #VentureBuilder

As I continue to look back over 12 months ago at the brilliant businesswomen who have built businesses or impact so huge that they have been featured on the cover of the Lioness Weekender Magazine, I find this Wednesday a business that is very close to my heart as I have seen first hand the tragic de-forestation created through the desperate need for firewood and charcoal across Africa. This Wednesday the Lioness from over a year ago is the inspirational Camille Rebelo the co-founder and COO of EcoPlanet Bamboo a Kenyan headquartered business on a mission to conserve and restore natural forests. With a background in innovative financing mechanisms for the conservation of natural forests, she developed or managed forestry projects ranging from large-scale commercial plantations to smallholder operations in more than 20 countries across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, prior to co-founding EcoPlanet Bamboo in 2011. With that background she has taken EcoPlanet Bamboo to great heights, now with operations in Central America, Southern, West and East Africa, and Southeast Asia, EcoPlanet Bamboo targets areas that have suffered extreme deforestation, ensuring that bamboo plantations and smallholder farms are only ever developed on degraded land, don't compete with food security, and are a deforestation free crop. In conjunction with each plantation, R&D focuses on ensuring clean manufacturing techniques, leapfrogging current technology to create a turnkey solution. Plantations are certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and/or suitable alternatives, and climate change benefits are quantified and commercialized through the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). Truly a Lioness of Africa. #Bamboo #Africa #Kenya #COO #Lionessofafrica https://lnkd.in/eC_vgtfa

Thank you to Ngao Mubanga and Valerie Hickey for taking the time to pen and share this insightful article about the transformative effects of the Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development Project (TRALARD) in Zambia's Northern Region. The TRALARD project's focus on sustainable forest management and community empowerment is indeed commendable, and the success stories from the Kaloswe Community Forest Management Group (CFMG) highlight the tangible benefits it brings to local communities. As we delve into the discussion on climate change resilience and the importance of sustainable natural resource management, it's imperative to explore further avenues that could contribute to these efforts. One such avenue is the incorporation of bamboo cultivation and plantations, which have shown promise in aiding the fight against climate change while offering socioeconomic benefits to communities. Bamboo, often referred to as the "wonder plant," is a versatile resource with a myriad of environmental and economic advantages. Its rapid growth rate and ability to sequester significant amounts of carbon dioxide make it a valuable asset in mitigating climate change. Additionally, bamboo's extensive root system helps prevent soil erosion, stabilize slopes, and enhance water retention, thereby contributing to land restoration and resilience against natural disasters such as floods and landslides. Moreover, bamboo offers numerous livelihood opportunities for rural communities, including the production of timber, handicrafts, textiles, and bioenergy. Its diverse applications make it a viable alternative to traditional forest products, reducing the pressure on natural forests and promoting sustainable land use practices. In the context of Zambia, where deforestation rates are alarmingly high, the incorporation of bamboo cultivation presents a promising solution. The country's favourable climate and fertile soils provide conducive conditions for bamboo growth, offering an untapped potential for economic development and environmental conservation. However, realizing the full potential of bamboo cultivation requires concerted efforts and support, both from governmental initiatives and development projects like TRALARD. Fortunately, TRALARD's comprehensive approach to landscape management and community empowerment positions it well to assist with the resources and expertise needed to promote bamboo cultivation in Zambia. TRALARD can play a pivotal role in facilitating the establishment of bamboo plantations in collaboration with The Business Place Network, providing technical assistance, training, and access to financing for interested communities. By integrating bamboo into their forest management plans, communities can diversify their income streams, enhance ecosystem services, and contribute to climate change resilience goals. https://lnkd.in/d_HSkB56

Have a look at our page on explorer.land to get further insights into our project activities!