Thank you for being here

CEDISA is a non-profit organization based in Tarapoto, Peru, working to promote the social, economic, and environmental well-being of Amazonian communities in Peru’s high jungle region.

SELVA (which stands for Sustaining, Enhancing, Legitimizing, and Validating Adaptation) is a project that transforms local Amazonian knowledge into practical solutions to address climate change and strengthen community resilience.

This adaptation initiative is funded by the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of the Republic of Austria.

Climate change and vulnerability in the Amazon

The Peruvian Amazon is one of the richest and most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, but also one of the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Prolonged droughts, extreme flooding, changes in rainfall cycles, and the increase in pests threaten not only the rainforest but also the communities that directly depend on its resources.

The vulnerability and risk of communities to climate change depends on their adaptive capacities.

Adaptive capacities are essential to reducing the vulnerability of Amazonian communities. Much of this resilience comes from the local knowledge, practices, and strategies that the communities themselves have developed.

However, it is also key to have financial support systems such as bonds, insurance and credit, as well as disaster relief resources.

Socio-environmental Service Centers:
a proven solution

Over the past three years, CEDISA has worked in the rural municipalities of Huimbayoc (San Martín) and Sarayacu (Loreto) to implement Socio-Environmental Service Centers.

These centers facilitate the documentation, systematization, and dissemination of Local Adaptive Resources to establish and manage green belts of forests, restore degraded lands, protect pollinators such as cacao from cold weather, and strengthen their resilience to extreme weather events such as cold weather, droughts, and gales.

Thanks to the Socio-Environmental Service Centers, families, communities, and institutions of small producers are increasing their adaptive capacities, reducing their vulnerability to climate change.

SELVA has a team of professionals with experience to establish, scale and support Socio-Environmental Service Centers

SELVA seeks to strengthen the adaptive capacity of local communities in the face of extreme weather events by validating, systematizing, and scaling up sustainable socio-environmental practices.

The project combines applied research, institutional strengthening, and knowledge transfer, coordinating the work of communities, local governments, and national and international partners.

SELVA: Main Components

Participatory research and mapping of adaptive practices

Documentation of effective local strategies for dealing with droughts, floods, and fires through field assessments and socio-ecological maps

Co-creation of local climate action plans

Development of district adaptation plans with Huimbayoc and Sarayacu, integrating validated practices and environmental change indicators.

Building local and institutional capacities

Workshops for community leaders and municipal technicians on environmental monitoring, risk management, and ecosystem-based adaptation.

SELVA open digital platform

Portal with socio-ecological indicators, participatory maps, and technical sheets to facilitate model replication.

The SELVA Team

The proposed team for the SELVA project is made up of an interdisciplinary group of professionals with extensive experience in conservation, sustainable development, and community management in the region.