CapEQ, an impact-driven M&A consultancy, has joined forces with fellow BCorp Ecologi to invest in a critical rainforest conservation project in the Matavén Jungle, located in northeastern Colombia. This initiative is part of an ongoing campaign to protect one of the world’s most biodiverse regions while enhancing the livelihoods of the indigenous communities who rely on the forest.
The Matavén Jungle, the fourth-largest indigenous reservation in Colombia, spans a border region between Colombia and Venezuela. With 60% of the population being indigenous, the area faces environmental threats such as deforestation, alongside security challenges due to drug and arms trafficking across the nearby border.
Forest-dependent communities like those in Matavén are often more effective than governments at addressing deforestation, making this project a vital part of the global climate change solution.
CapEQ enlisted Ecologi to find a home for this month’s environmental impact contribution, and Ecologi selected the Matavén initiative as the project most in need of urgent funding.
The project aims to halt deforestation, protect the tropical forests, and preserve biodiversity while improving the quality of life for the indigenous peoples who call this region home. The initiative takes a holistic approach, emphasising education, gender equality, and the inclusion of both women and men who live in and depend on the forest. By promoting sustainable practices, the initiative is designed to create lasting behavioural change in support of long-term forest conservation.
The initiative focuses on:
Reducing Matavén’s vulnerability
- Surveillance and control of the territory to monitor illegal activities and deforestation.
- Improvement of communication, transportation, and information systems to enhance connectivity and response capabilities.
- Strengthening governance through the indigenous authority ACATISEMA to empower local leadership.
Enhancing food security and self-sufficiency
- Development of family-based agri-food production systems to increase food security.
- Implementation of training and education programs for local indigenous communities to build knowledge around sustainable practices.
- Development of productive projects to create economic resilience and reduce reliance on forest exploitation.
CapEQ Partner Mark Sapsford remarked: "This is our 44th project with Ecologi. Together with like-minded businesses, we can multiply our impact and make a lasting difference to critically endangered environments like Matavén."
By addressing deforestation, promoting biodiversity, and strengthening local governance, this partnership represents a powerful commitment to protecting the Matavén Jungle.
The collaboration between CapEQ and Ecologi highlights how businesses can lead the way in creating sustainable, climate-positive solutions that benefit both the environment and the people who depend on it.
