ORIGEN


Restoring Watersheds for Ecosystems and Communities

The Project

Restoring Watersheds for Ecosystems and Communities (ORIGEN) aims to generate multiple environmental and socio-economic benefits by restoring degraded landscapes through an integrated watershed approach. This is achieved by strengthening planning, promoting local restoration actions, and mobilizing financing. 

Context

The project will be implemented in coastal watersheds in Chiapas, Jalisco, and Veracruz, as well as in pilot watersheds in Guerrero, Nayarit, and Oaxaca. Restoration efforts will focus on degraded areas and on strengthening the value chains of native Mexican species, such as vanilla and cacao, while also promoting agroforestry and silvopastoral systems. High priority will be given to field actions that are expected to deliver long-term environmental, economic, and social benefits. 

Additionally, the project aims to scale up lessons learned and complement existing interventions led by key organizations and agencies such as the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp, acronym in Spanish) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader, acronym in Spanish), as well as the governments of Chiapas, Jalisco, and Veracruz. The project will build upon the lessons learned from the C6, CONECTA and RÍOS projects.

The lines of work (components) that will guide ORIGEN’s activities are:

  1. Restoration planning with a watershed approach. This component will support the development and/or strength of coordination mechanisms to serve as platforms that convene diverse stakeholders in planning processes to prioritize and guide conservation and restoration actions.
  2. Financing for the long-term sustainability of restoration. This component will work closely with stakeholders to develop and implement financing mechanisms that support the long-term implementation of restoration plans, including the promotion of access to new markets for producer groups and community enterprises (value-added products) and innovative funding sources for restoration.
  3. Restoration of degraded areas. This component will promote direct actions in productive and non-productive restoration by local initiatives through sub-projects. It also uses a Nature-based Solutions approach as a cost-effective measure to address climate change, land degradation, and biodiversity. It will focus on restoring ecosystem functions to enhance water availability, improve water quality, restore biodiversity, and reduce risks associated with climate change.
  4. Monitoring, evaluation, and knowledge management for scaling. This component will entail close coordination with multiple stakeholders to ensure project activities and results are appropriately monitored and evaluated and that knowledge management facilitates efficient information sharing at every project level. This will involve establishing an effective structure for project management, governance, and coordination, as well as monitoring and evaluation. It will also support learning communities (national and subnational) to facilitate knowledge exchange on restoration practices. 

With a watershed-based approach, the project will seek to promote restoration activities.

Achievements

In 2024, the ORIGEN project received endorsement from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN) expects project implementation to begin in 2025.

Learn more about the project:
Download
View

Allies

Donors: 
  • Global Environment Facility (GEF)
  • Conservation International- GEF Agency
Partners: 
  • National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp, acronym in Spanish)
  • Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader, acronym in Spanish)

Environmental and Social Management System

For ORIGEN, FMCN will apply its Environmental and Social Management System (SGAS) to minimize potential environmental and social risks and maximize positive impacts on ecosystems and community well-being. To achieve this, the SGAS establishes the development of a Stakeholders Engagement Plan (PPPI); a Grievance Redress Mechanism at the project level (MAQ); a Participation Plan for Indigenous Peoples and Afro-Mexican Population (PPI), and a Gender Action Plan. These documents will be dynamic and adjusted according to lessons learned during project implementation for continuous improvement.