The Governance and Infrastructure in the Amazon (GIA) Project has created regional and thematic Communities of Practice and Learning (CoP-L). The Upper Madeira CoP-L is the group that has advanced the most, in part because it builds on the previous work of the Amazon Dams Network, but also thanks to the great leadership of Marliz Arteaga, Cecilia Sanjinez, Alli Sabo, Andrea Chavez and Stephen Perz, as well as the active participation of our partners in this region.
At the recent GIA Pan-Amazon Workshop, the Upper Madeira CoP-L organized Panel 2: Knowledge management: applied research to strengthen communities’ participation in infrastructure governance. In this 14th edition of the GIA newsletter, we inform about the II Carretón del Conocimiento (Knowledge Exchange) in Bolivia which was a key moment of knowledge exchange and delivery of relevant GIA results with local communities in the Upper Madeira and discussion of possible next steps. Happy reading!
Upper Madeira Knowledge Exchange II (Carretón del Conocimiento):
main messages
On June 3 and 4, the Upper Madeira CoP-L (Bolivia and Brazil) held the Carretón del Conocimiento II, at the Palacio de la Cultura in Guayaramerín, Beni, Bolivia.
The objectives were:
- to give back to the communities the results of the research on fishing, mining and the impacts caused by the hydroelectric plants in Rio Madeira, as well as the protocol of Prior Consultation developed by the communities of Cachuela Esperanza and Puerto Consuelo; and
- to create a space to reflect on the next steps of the Upper Madeira GIA community of practice and learning, where they want to go and how.
This event was attended by all the partners of the mosaic comprising Amazonian universities from Bolivia and Brazil, local and national NGOs from both countries, peasant communities, grassroots organizations, among others.
The main messages of the final collective reflections were:
- the Binational Committee for the Defense of Amazonian Life in the Madeira River Basin decided to continue to focus on the Defense of Rivers as Subjects and Bearers of Rights in the action plan resulting from the event
- the strengthening of the social organization of the participating communities was evident throughout the project
- all participants assumed commitments to continue strengthening community decisions in favor of the Common Adobe as they define the Upper Madeira River Basin
Check out photos of Carretón del Conocimiento II HERE!
Upper Madeira
Community of Practice and Learning: Main Products
The Carretón del Conocimiento presented and shared printed versions of this set of products co-generated with local communities and universities during 2020. This is the culmination of 3-years of work with and for the communities that exemplify the strategy of co-production of knowledge that can be used by communities to influence infrastructure governance.
The products were:
Upper Madeira CoP-L: Next Steps
Next steps for our GIA Upper Madeira CoP-L include:
- Socialize the co-produced documents with all communities.
- Strengthen communication processes.
- Conduct more research in partnership with communities.
- Continue the struggle for life in the Amazon, and for the right of the people to decide on their territories.
Check out the upcoming webinars prepared by the Upper Madeira CoP-L and its partners!
Protocol of Prior, Free, Well-Informed and Good Faith Consultation (FPIC) – Follow-up meeting
We created a group of people who are very interested in continuing the conversation about FPIC, writing projects in pursuit of financial assistance to continue and expand this work.
When: Friday, August 13th
Time: 10:00 am (Bolivia)
Zoom link to participate: We will provide soon. Please send us a note if you want to receive the link to participate.
Transdisciplinary research products: in partnership with the Universidad Amazónica de Pando (UAP) as the main organizer. The objective of the webinar is to present the products from five UAP students’ research that was done in collaboration with local communities.
When: TBD
Time: TBD
Zoom link to participate: We will provide soon. Please send us a note if you want to receive the link to participate.
Webinar: Protocol of Prior, Free, Well-Informed and Good Faith Consultation
The Instituto Madeira Vivo, el Comité Defensor de la Vida Amazónica in the Madeira River basin and the GIA Project organized the webinar Protocol of Prior, Free, Well-Informed and Good Faith Consultation (Protocolo de Consulta Previa, Libre, Bien Informada y de Buena Fe) on July 8, in Bolivia.
The event was open to traditional communities, institutions that work with communities, universities, and the general public. The webinar presented tools and recommendations on how to develop one of the most important steps for the defense of natural territories and guarantee of rights: consultation protocols.
During 2020, the Cachuela Esperanza and Puerto Consuelo II communities, located near the Madeira River basin in Bolivia, mobilized to produce their consultation protocols. The instrument was created to defend the territory from the threats of dams, mining and agricultural projects posed by the governments and private sector of Brazil and Bolivia. The Committee for the Defense of Amazonian Life in the Madeira River basin supported the development of the protocols.
The webinar was conducted by Iremar Ferreira, director of the Madeira Vivo Institute, Juan Carlos Ojopi and David Barbara, of the Committee for the Defense of Amazonian Life in the Madeira River basin.
More information here.
You can also access the web link to the recordings here or by clicking on the image below.
Past Webinars of Upper Madeira CoP-L
Please, access the past webinars organized by, or in partnership with, GIA’s Upper Madera CoP-L below:
Guia de Peces launch, done in partnership with the Universidad Amazónica del Beni (UAB) as the main organizer. This webinar was part of a series of events to launch the main Upper Madeira CoP-L products and foster conversation among its participants.
Access the recorded video here or by clicking on the image below.
Webinar outcomes:
We formed a group with the institutions Faunagua, UAB, Fishermen Association of Cachuela Esperanza, and two other researchers. The objectives of this group are:
1) The preparation of an illustrated fishing guide of Esperanza Cachuela, and
2) The preparation of an illustrated presentation of fisheries (for tourism purposes) for Cachuela Esperanza.
