Meta, Colombia—Mayor Ana Shirley González González understands the urgent need beneath her feet.
“We live from the countryside,” said Gonzalez, who serves as mayor of Fuentedeoro, a municipality that lies along the Ariari River in Colombia’s central Meta department. “We must give back to the land all those benefits that it has given us.”
It is this understanding that compelled González to be one of the founding members of the Ariari Sustainable Mayors Network, a group of local leaders advocating for rural communities and supporting a shift among farmers toward regenerative agriculture. In total, 14 local mayors are part of the Network, which Rare helped launch in the Fall of 2024.
“We are responsible for our own well-being,” said González. “We must recover our soils …to improve our profitability, improve our environment, and improve our ability to move forward as a community and as a region.”
The mayors have come together to promote sustainable agriculture practices, support economic development, and protect natural resources to ensure food security and combat climate change and the biodiversity crisis.
Nestled between the Amazonian foothills and the Eastern Plains of Colombia, the Ariari region is home to fertile soil ideal for growing cacao. However, emissions from agriculture and ranching are a main reason to Meta is the second-largest emitter among Colombia’s 32 departments.
In Colombia, the agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) sector generates 62% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG); agriculture and cattle ranching are responsible for 26% of this.
“The creation of a network of mayors plays a crucial role in building a more sustainable and climate-resilient future,” said José Zárate, the former Agriculture Minister for the region.
The network will help local leaders jointly address how climate change is impacting local farmers and encourage information sharing and the exchange of solutions. With the support of Rare and the UK PACT, the Ariari region is already moving towards becoming a national benchmark for sustainable production, using community extension as a key tool to train a growing number of local producers in regenerative agricultural practices.
“Climate change is the most urgent challenge of our time, and local leaders are key to shepherding in a more sustainable future,” said Mónica Varela, VP of Rare Colombia who leads Rare’s Lands for Life regenerative agriculture program, which helps farming communities adopt regenerative agriculture practices. “This is a decisive step towards a sustainable future. Together, we can make a difference.”
Climate change directly impacts smallholder farmers in Colombia and globally. Unpredictable and extreme weather, increased water scarcity or flooding, and increased pests and diseases all threaten the smallholder farmers and rural communities. Unsustainable practices including the overuse of fertilizer can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
Mayors participating in the Network include Ana Shirley González, Fuente de Oro; Brayhann Camilo Velázquez Suarez, Cubarral; Oscar Olaya López, El Dorado; John Germán Ramírez Hernández, San Martín; Leonito Eliécer Castro Cifuentes, Castilla la Nueva; Nick Jefree Martínez Alba, Lejanías; Camilo Antonio Pulgarín Suárez, Mesetas; Ricardo Díaz Rodríguez, San Juan de Arama; Juan Andrés Gómez López, Vista Hermosa; Juan Carlos Mendoza Rendón, Granada; Daimer Otálora Vera, El Castillo; José Fernando Peña Rabelo, Guamal; Carlos Julio Plata Becerra, Acacías. Also participating were Martha Shirley Romero Morales, Secretary of Environment and Andrés Pardo Romero, Secretary of Agriculture of the Government of Meta.
Local leaders are key figures in Rare’s community-led approach to conservation. In 2021, Rare launched the Coastal 500, a global network of mayors from coastal communities in support of thriving and prosperous coastal communities. The Coastal 500 was a finalist for the 2023 Earthshot Prize.
The mayors network is an initiative of Rare’s Lands for Life program dedicated to empowering smallholder farmers and ranchers to adapt to climate challenges and conserve biodiversity. Rare’s approach blends behavioral science, farmer-to-farmer mentorship, and community-driven strategies to foster widespread adoption of sustainable practices. Rare has helped over 5,000 farmers embrace techniques that enhance soil health, reduce agrochemical use, and restore ecosystems.