Field trip strengthens connections between climate, landscapes and resilience in Western Mato Grosso

In August, the team from the Western Mato Grosso Landscape Initiative, including IPAM, Produzindo Certo, PCI and Proforest, conducted a field visit to learn more about ongoing activities and engage with a wide range of local stakeholders, including Indigenous leaders, small- and large-scale farmers, government representatives, rural workers and other local partners. The visit aimed to deepen understanding of how climate risks are affecting people’s lives and local biodiversity, while seeking to integrate the People, Climate and Nature pillars.

The experiences shared during the field visit confirmed that climate change is already a tangible reality for those living and working in the region, manifesting in prolonged droughts, water scarcity and an increased risk of wildfires. These impacts affect different groups unevenly, particularly those with more limited access to financial resources, technical assistance and infrastructure. At the same time, the visit highlighted the ability of local actors to develop practical solutions, often rooted in cooperation and local knowledge. Collaboration between different stakeholders emerged as a central element in addressing these challenges in a lasting way.

The visit reinforced a key lesson that guides Proforest’s work: external investment is essential, but it should seek to foster lasting solutions grounded in the priorities and knowledge of communities and producers themselves. The conversations held in the field will inform the development of a landscape investment value proposition, seeking to connect local outcomes and needs with metrics that are relevant to companies and financial institutions. This represents an important step towards identifying the indicators that can best capture the building of human resilience within landscape approaches.