Agave Restoration Initiative: Restoring a Bi-National Agave Corridor for Migratory Bats and People

This initiative was part of the Support Project for the International Alliance against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade which was implemented in Viet Nam by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH together with the One Health Partnership Secretariat hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

The extensive wild animal farming and trade in Viet Nam poses risks of zoonotic disease emergence and spillover. To mitigate these risks, the project in Viet Nam aimed to enhance policies, strengthen the basis for responsible management of wildlife farms and improve the understanding on gaps in regulations and implementation including strengthening biosecurity in policy and legislation. Challenges are a lack of a uniform definition of what biosecurity exactly entails and the large variety of wildlife farm sizes in Viet Nam. A framework of seven biosecurity categories was proposed. This provides a base to assess gaps in legislation, to develop further policy as well as education initiatives. 

The Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve in Querétaro, Mexico—a 383,567-hectare mosaic of cloud forest, oak woodland and semi-arid scrubland—is home to extraordinary biodiversity and 638 rural communities. With 70% of the land in private hands, meaningful conservation requires the genuine participation and economic empowerment of local landowners. Yet, for decades, those landowners had no financial incentive to protect their forests over more immediately profitable land uses such as cattle ranching, logging, and agriculture.

Carbono Biodiverso, developed by Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda (GESG) in partnership with the Secretaría de Desarrollo Sustentable (SEDESU) of the State of Querétaro, is a locally-grounded carbon protocol that directly addresses this structural gap. It uses a state-level carbon tax mechanism known as Sello Querétaro to connect industrial emitters with forest landowners, paying them competitively for the carbon captured through natural forest regeneration and reinvesting remaining funds in community development.

The MARISTANIS Wetland Contract is an innovative governance mechanism designed to support the integrated and participatory management of coastal wetlands. It addresses the fragmentation of responsibilities and lack of coordination among stakeholders by establishing a formal agreement between public authorities, local actors and other stakeholders.

The contract defines shared objectives, roles and commitments, enabling coordinated actions for wetland conservation, restoration and sustainable use. It promotes dialogue, builds trust and aligns interests across sectors, including environment, water management and local development.

By institutionalising collaboration through a contractual framework, the solution improves governance effectiveness, reduces conflicts and enhances the resilience of wetland ecosystems. It provides a replicable model for multi-level and multi-actor governance, applicable across Mediterranean and other regions facing similar challenges.

Tanzania’s coastal and marine ecosystems are rich in biodiversity but face mounting pressures from unsustainable resource use, weak governance, and social conflict. Community-based conservation actors, including Beach Management Units (BMUs), Village Liaison Committees (VLCs), Marine Parks and Reserves Unit (MPRU) rangers, Honorary Rangers, and Collaborative Management Areas, have historically lacked structured capacity on human rights, gender equality, and conflict-sensitive approaches. Within the IKI-funded “Pwani Yetu” (Our Coast) Project, two rounds of training were conducted between April and September 2025. A total of 147 participants were trained using participatory adult-learning methods, including role plays, conflict mapping, and case studies, across three integrated modules: 1) human rights frameworks in conservation, 2) gender equality and intersectionality, and 3) practical conflict resolution and feedback mechanisms.Participants co-developed locally owned and applicable conflict resolution and feedback systems.

The Handbook for Coastal Wetlands Governance is a practical guidance tool designed to support integrated and effective governance of coastal wetlands. These ecosystems are under increasing pressure from urbanisation, pollution and climate change, while often suffering from fragmented governance and limited coordination among institutions.

The handbook provides structured methodologies, policy guidance and practical tools to improve governance frameworks, strengthen coordination between stakeholders and support ecosystem-based management approaches. It helps decision-makers, practitioners and local authorities design more coherent and inclusive governance systems for wetlands.

By promoting integrated management and stakeholder collaboration, the solution enhances the conservation and sustainable use of coastal wetlands, improves ecosystem services and strengthens resilience to climate change. It is highly transferable across Mediterranean and other regions facing similar governance challenges.

LIFE Olivares Vivos is an innovative agri-environmental model that integrates biodiversity conservation into olive grove management in the Mediterranean. Developed under the EU LIFE programme, it addresses biodiversity loss driven by intensive agricultural practices by promoting restoration measures within productive landscapes.

The solution combines habitat restoration, scientific biodiversity monitoring and a certification scheme that rewards farmers for measurable biodiversity gains. Through tailored farm advisory support, olive producers adopt practices such as vegetation cover recovery, habitat creation and reduced chemical inputs.

The model generates both environmental and economic benefits by improving ecosystem health while enhancing the market value of olive oil through biodiversity-based branding. It has demonstrated measurable increases in species richness and ecosystem functions, and offers a highly replicable approach for sustainable agriculture across Mediterranean regions.