Abstract:

This agrobiodiversity case study (No.1) from Ecuador is the first of six case studies prepared by forest and farm producer organisations (FFPOs) for the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF).It describes the actions of the Union of Peasant and Indigenous Organizations of Cotacachi (UNORCAC) in the conservation of agrobiodiversity in the forest and agricultural landscapes of the Cotacachi canton in Ecuador. These Indigenous systems stand out for their high biodiversity and for the agroecological approaches and traditional knowledge used. Their colourful mosaic landscapes contrast with the haciendas which are characterised by largescale monoculture crops based on biochemical and technological land-use packages that degrade the soil and water.