LocationsGuardians of the Forests: An indigenous path towards more conscious food systems
August 8, 2025
In the remote province of Darién, on the border between Panama and Colombia—home to some of the last standing tropical forests in Central America—Indigenous communities are leading powerful, homegrown efforts in conservation, food sovereignty, and community development. From sustainable cocoa and forest restoration in La Marea, to women-led resilience in Ipetí and collective action in Santa Fe, these communities are redefining development on their own terms—rooted in ancestral knowledge and a deep respect for the land.
While many in the international community debate how to best solve climate and food crises, Indigenous communities—who have long walked in harmony with the forest—may hold the keys we've been searching for.
La Marea: Under the shadow of the great green Macaw
In La Marea, an Emberá Indigenous community deep in the heart of Darién, the forest is both a source of life and livelihood. Here, community members are planting native trees not only to restore degraded land and support sustainable cocoa farming, but also to protect the habitat of the great green macaw, an iconic and endangered bird species whose return they hope will also bring ecotourism to the area.
“This year we are planting over 10 hectares of trees, between improved robusta coffee, almond trees and other native species,” said Edixon Grajales, in charge of the tree nursery, “thanks to our conservation efforts, the green macaw and harpy eagle are now back in La Marea, and It fulfills me to think our kids will see them and the community will benefit socially and economically.”
Their coffee, cultivated organically beneath the forest canopy, is harvested with care and enriched by organic compost that women of the community produce themselves. Through these efforts, La Marea is not only embracing a circular, low-impact form of agriculture that nourishes both people and planet but promoting natural and economic sustainability for young people who can now envision a future inside the community. In La Marea, as in many other indigenous communities in the area, young people are migrating to Panama City in search for work opportunities—“myself, I left to work in construction in the city,” Edixon told us “but after a year living between asphalt and traffic jams, I realized how wealthy we are to live here and have natural resources, and I came back to Darien.” He is now committed that his kids can choose to stay too.
As one of the elders from the community put it, “I always say to the youth: zero devastation, zero degradation, zero fertilizers, and let’s push forward.”
Ipetí: Indigenous women are nature champions
In Ipetí, the Emberá community has faced a long journey of displacement and adaptation. Yet today, it is a vibrant example of women-led resilience. Emberá women are reclaiming traditional roles as stewards of food and forest, cultivating native plants and preserving culinary heritage passed down through generations.
Food here is more than nourishment—it’s memory and meaning. Using local ingredients like avocados, plantain, and yucca, the women of Ipetí prepare dishes that honour both tradition and biodiversity. But they are also returning to the medicinal use of plants, “plants hold medicines for many illnesses, that western medicine has not yet cured,” says Omaira Ramos, president of Amari, an association of Emberá artisan women. Omaira and her daughter Sara are leading activities to empower Emberá women as centers of their communities. Through Amari, artisans continue to craft intricate baskets and jewelry using forest fibers and natural dyes—offering a source of income that keeps cultural traditions alive.
Indigenous women are taking the role of teachers and guardians of traditional knowledge to ensure land is protected and traditions are brought to date, adapting to the new role women have in society.
“That’s our goal, to show the world that indigenous women are leading restoration, and that everything we do comes from the heart, and our ancestors are present in every moment, and we pass the knowledge to future generations,” Omaira stated.
Arimae: Food sovereignty and protecting our land
The story of Arimae’s community is a story of displacement. Their ancestors were displaced from their land because of the construction of a hydro-electric plant and the road connecting with the city, which forced communities to move near the Savana River. “Since then, we have been fighting for our land,” said Elivardo Membache, general chief of Arimae. “We have lost over 60 thousand hectares of land, which not only means territory, but forest and biodiversity loss because of construction, hunting, illegal logging, and unsustainable agriculture.”
The construction of the road that crosses Darien helped connect a territory that was isolated before, but it impacted the housing, culture and way of life of many Emberá communities, including over 850 residents of Arimae. Now, with the support of local organisations and UNDP, this community is using new technologies to develop land use maps and forest protection plans, request the recognition of their territory, as well as receiving trainings on sustainable production that will help protect their land.
“Our elders were not literate, they didn’t study, but they did have the will to protect our land,” said Alberto Membache, Secretary of Arimae’s Community Council, “that is how I took on the challenge to work for the future of our community.”
People from Arimae are professionalizing themselves to create better social conditions and opportunities for their community and the generations to come. Their work is mainly focused on agriculture, reforestation, craftmanship and entrepreneurship, with the intention to start of opening themselves to direct markets, accessing consumers without depending on the price intermediaries set for their plantains or cocoa. But as they move forward, they reinforce the importance of carrying traditional knowledge with them, and that is why they celebrate an annual food fair to share dishes, music and recipes, and transmit their culture to the future of the Emberá community.
Santa Fe: Collaboration and Conscious Farming in Action
Santa Fe, a diverse rural village amid Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, recently became the meeting point for a powerful dialogue: What kind of food systems do we want for the future? In a local gathering, elders, farmers, youth, and leaders came together to reflect on what it means to eat, grow, and live sustainably.
Santa Fe is home to Red de Vida, a local NGO led by locals to support locals, that uses art, conservation and organic farming as bridges to community building and development. The farm serves as a hub for knowledge sharing and experimentation—demonstrating how food can be grown in harmony with the land while generating income and security.
Facilitated by the UNDP-convened Conscious Food Systems Alliance, this dialogue led to discussions about the communities’ approach to food production and consumption, and opened a space to reflect, learn and honour the past, while looking for sustainable solutions for the future.
Rooted in Forests, Growing Toward the Future
The experiences of La Marea, Ipetí, Arimae and Santa Fe show that rural Indigenous communities are not just surviving—they are shaping local pathways to global sustainability goals. From reforestation and biodiversity protection to cultural revitalization and sustainable agriculture, they are building futures that honour both tradition and innovation.
With support from the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) implemented by the United Nations Development Programme, through partnerships with the government and local partners, these communities are receiving technical and financial backing to strengthen their efforts. Projects focused on forest restoration, climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods, and biodiversity conservation are helping amplify Indigenous leadership and local knowledge. UNDP’s convened Conscious Food Systems Alliance led on community workshops to explore the role of traditional knowledge on indigenous food systems.
In a world seeking climate solutions and food system transformation, the answers may well lie in the wisdom of communities who have always listened to the forest—and who are now inviting the world to do the same.
