Pre-feasibility study of two REDD+ projects in Guatemala (Chisec and San Juan Atitlan) Guatemala

Context of the service

Since 2007, Agronomists and Veterinarians Without Borders (AVSF) has been engaged in an internal reflection on the theme of climate change, addressed from peasant agriculture. It is a question of seeing how, on the one hand, to incorporate this dimension into the projects already carried out by AVSF and, on the other hand, to develop new actions with peasant communities and organizations to (a) enable them to adapt to the effects of climate change, in particular in areas of greater vulnerability, and (b) contribute to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.
In this context, AVSF called on ad hoc expertise on REDD+ in Guatemala, a country in which AVSF has been operating for more than 20 years. The main objective of this mission was to study, with the AVSF teams, the pre-feasibility of two REDD+ projects: (i) in mosaic agriculture zones (small farms of indigenous Q'eq'chii'' on slash-and-burn and latifundiary cattle farms and palm oil production in the Municipalities of Chisec and Raxhuja, Department of Alta Vérapaz) and (ii) in coffee growing areas (small farms of indigenous Kaqchikel in the Municipalities of San Antonio Palopo, San José Toliman and Santiago Atitlan, Department of Solola).

Services provided

The mission provided the necessary elements to confirm the feasibility of one of the two projects identified by AVSF (the one located in the Department of Alta Vera Paz):
- Relevance of the project with regard to national policies (on adaptation to climate change, REDD+, land, etc.)
- Actions and means required for implementation,
- First modelling of future emissions scenarios, with and without REDD+ actions,
- Additionality and measurability of possible emission reductions,
- Estimated carbon gain and potential for certification on voluntary markets (Verified carbon standard - VCS - and Community carbon and biodiversity standard - CCBS),
- Socio-environmental co-benefits,
- Level of involvement/interest of the populations,
On this basis, a Project Idea Note (PIN) in Biocarbon Fund format was developed and a discussion began with AVSF on the follow-up.
Beyond the drafting of this PIN, the experts trained AVSF's field teams on the REDD+ theme, to ensure that they are able to pilot the future project. Finally, the experts provided the necessary elements to set up a payment project for environmental services (not related to REDD+ sensu stricto) for the project located in the Department of Solola.

Summary of the service

Pre-feasibility study of two REDD+ projects in Guatemala (Chisec and San Juan Atitlan): Relevance to national policies; Actions and means required for implementation; First scenario modeling with and without REDD+ actions; Additionality and measurability of possible emission reductions; Estimated carbon gain and potential for certification in voluntary markets; Socio-environmental co-benefits; Level of involvement/interest of the populations.