Pro Natura International
Country: Mozambique, Brazil, France, Egypt
Category: Combating Climate Change, Conservation & Protecting Biodiversity
Total Raised: $824,006
About Pro Natura International
Pro Natura is tackling the social, economic and environmental problems that face rural communities in the Developing World. The aim is to provide viable economic alternatives to those people struggling to make a living from imperiled environments.
This is achieved by building local capacity and establishing participative governance, so that the preservation and restoration of natural resources can be linked to local economic success.
Delivering sustainability is a complex challenge and Pro-Natura’s strength lies in the network of in-house and 3rd party experts it can deploy to build the local capacity needed to implement integrated solutions. The network is backed up by an experienced executive management team and a world-class Advisory Board.
Services offered
• Community and local government development
• Training programmes to promote, facilitate & strengthen participatory community development
• Sustainable farming, agro-forestry & sustainable forestry techniques
• Fighting against malnutrition
• Fostering of small & medium sized enterprises and markets
• Cross-border conservation area planning and implementation
• Environmental, social and human impact assessment for investments
• Exploration of forest canopies & biodiversity preservation
• Biomass energy assessment and projects (green-charcoal)
Pro Natura Mozambique Projects
Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world, with the vast majority of the population living on less than US$1.25 a day at the time of funding. Despite encouraging development progress, many still lack access to basic services such as safe water, health facilities and schools, with isolated rural coastal areas suffering the most. Northern Mozambique, particularly the Quirimbas National Park, encompasses some of the most significant and endangered habitats and wildlife in the western Indian Ocean, with over 180 species of unbleached coral and over 400 species of reef fish.
The programmes, which the funds support, encompasses a holistic, community driven approach to planning and implementing sustainable economic and socio-environmental business models with rural communities in the Quirimbas National Park, Northern Mozambique, including Vamizi Island.
The goal has been to coordinate the establishment of regional sustainable development programmes, driven by community engagement with a view to poverty alleviation and regenerative environmental stewardship.
The key target areas are:
• Development of sustainable rural/agricultural enterprise and livelihoods
• Clean Energy Generation
• Water Sanitation and Health
• Environmental Management
How have we helped?
The funds were raised by 21st Century Leaders, from the sale of Whatever It Takes products.
Local Nursery for the Quirimbas Region of Mozambique
Pro Natura International committed to supporting the Quirimbas National Park Development and Establishment Programme (DEP) with a 5 year programme of local capacity-building and agro-forestry/reforestation, aimed at providing an economic stimulus for the local communities that inhabit the buffer zones of the Park, through the generation of carbon credits and the production of diversified forest products.
The process included a field-based feasibility study which, over a period of 4 months, mapped out the needs of and opportunities for the local stakeholders, culminating in the production of a sustainable strategy business plan paid for by 21st Century Leaders and donated to WWF Mozambique.
How have we helped?
21st Century Leaders donated $763,710 to 21st Century Leaders Foundation, held in a restricted fund to be used for the sole purposes of financing sustainable development projects in Capo Delgado in Northern Mozambique.
$253,454 of the $763,710 funds have been designated to the elaboration of a Pilot Project, in collaboration with implementing partner Pro Natura International, which aims to develop a sustainable small farmer cooperative ‘model’ farm in the Chipembe Dam area, Northern Mozambique. This project focuses on reducing poverty and food insecurity in the region, by supporting increased agricultural production and market-led commercialisation of smallholder agriculture.
Chipembe Dam Pilot Project
Northern Mozambique has suffered from a lack of consistent investment in agriculture, resulting in the prevalence of very basic farming methods, which, coupled with dramatic climate events have lead to a low crop yield and severe vulnerability to drought and flooding. Furthermore, over 50% of the rural population in Cabo Delgado is unable to meet its basic food needs and lives in chronic poverty.
With over 80% of rural households in Capo Delgado practicing agriculture, small-scale farmers in particular are not able to generate enough income and savings to develop their livelihoods, in part due to the uncertainty surrounding land tenure, lack of effective management of groundwater, and lack of access to new production technology. As such, improving the productivity of smallholder farms has had a significant impact on reducing poverty and increasing food security for the majority of the rural population in Cabo Delgado. This is also likely to have had a positive impact on education and health in the region.
The Pilot Project worked with the active support of the Mozambique Agricultural Development Fund, and Plexus (a cotton grower company), to develop a new, sustainable, and climate friendly, 200 hectare small farmer cooperative. The farm area was divided into 40 smallholder farm plots. The cooperative benefits from state-of-the-art agriculture technology, quality inputs, and technical support, to produce year-round, high yield quality products, which generates significant income, guarantees food security, and fosters a better quality of life for the cooperative members, their families, and communities.
Development of the Family Agriculture Productive Chain
In 2018, Pro Natura International together with strategic partners developed a programme of agriculturally enriching activities. The pilot programme involved around 200 farmers, in an area of 600 hectares called Farm Chipembe, in Mozambique. The work was carried out through the creation of a Cooperative and the delivery of the Guy Renaud Agroecology Training Center.
The programme was centred around:
• Training in Natural Agriculture
• Food and Nutrition Security
• Cooking Recipes
• Sustainability and Income Generating
• Community Development
In less than a year Pro Natura transformed many farmers’ lives, by assisting them to harvest a great diversity of products and a new generation of income. Most farmers previously concentrated their food production with an average of 5 products (cotton, corn, beans, boer, sesame) and sometimes (lettuce, pumpkin, onion, okra, cabbage, tomato) all for their own consumption. However through the agroecological model, they started producing a variety of more than 20 products such as pumpkin, lettuce, sweet potato, beet, eggplant, onion, carrot, coriander, kale, spinach, common bean, basil, watermelon,pepper, piri, okra, radish, cabbage, parsley and tomato. This also in turn stimulated more and more farmers to practice greener and fairer farming.
Click here for photos of the project or to read the full project report click here.
Pro Natura Brazil Projects
How have we helped?
21st Century Leaders asked Juan Carlos I, former King of Spain to kindly donate an auction prize, at the Saúde Criança Renascer Gala Dinner held at The Governor's Palace in Rio di Janeiro in August 2008. This auction prize fetched R$30,000 (Brazilian Reals) at auction. 50% of the funds raised went to Saúde Criança Renascer and 50% went to Pro Natura for its work in Brazil.
Click here for more Event Information.
Pro Natura Egypt Projects
Grants paid out by 3rd parties
Subsequent to an introduction by 21st Century Leaders between Rawya Mansour and Pro Natura International, Pro Natura received a grant of €30,000, to fund a short feasibility study about the introduction of biochar in Egypt.
Ramsco & Ramsco for Sustainable Charity Foundation
Ramsco’s mission is to create “zero waste” eco-villages communities in the desert. Thus, Ramsco provides cost efficient, innovative and environmentally friendly agriculture technologies through contract farming. Ramsco modified these technologies, coming from Pro Natura International based in France that decrease land, water and carbon footprint, to produce organic valuable crops with less water and more produce. The projects contribute to political stability through food security with quality assurance and more job opportunities.
About Pro Natura International
Pro Natura is tackling the social, economic and environmental problems that face rural communities in the Developing World. The aim is to provide viable economic alternatives to those people struggling to make a living from imperiled environments.
This is achieved by building local capacity and establishing participative governance, so that the preservation and restoration of natural resources can be linked to local economic success.
Delivering sustainability is a complex challenge and Pro-Natura’s strength lies in the network of in-house and 3rd party experts it can deploy to build the local capacity needed to implement integrated solutions. The network is backed up by an experienced executive management team and a world-class Advisory Board.
Services offered
• Community and local government development
• Training programmes to promote, facilitate & strengthen participatory community development
• Sustainable farming, agro-forestry & sustainable forestry techniques
• Fighting against malnutrition
• Fostering of small & medium sized enterprises and markets
• Cross-border conservation area planning and implementation
• Environmental, social and human impact assessment for investments
• Exploration of forest canopies & biodiversity preservation
• Biomass energy assessment and projects (green-charcoal)
Pro Natura Mozambique Projects
Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world, with the vast majority of the population living on less than US$1.25 a day at the time of funding. Despite encouraging development progress, many still lack access to basic services such as safe water, health facilities and schools, with isolated rural coastal areas suffering the most. Northern Mozambique, particularly the Quirimbas National Park, encompasses some of the most significant and endangered habitats and wildlife in the western Indian Ocean, with over 180 species of unbleached coral and over 400 species of reef fish.
The programmes, which the funds support, encompasses a holistic, community driven approach to planning and implementing sustainable economic and socio-environmental business models with rural communities in the Quirimbas National Park, Northern Mozambique, including Vamizi Island.
The goal has been to coordinate the establishment of regional sustainable development programmes, driven by community engagement with a view to poverty alleviation and regenerative environmental stewardship.
The key target areas are:
• Development of sustainable rural/agricultural enterprise and livelihoods
• Clean Energy Generation
• Water Sanitation and Health
• Environmental Management
How have we helped?
The funds were raised by 21st Century Leaders, from the sale of Whatever It Takes products.
Local Nursery for the Quirimbas Region of Mozambique
Pro Natura International committed to supporting the Quirimbas National Park Development and Establishment Programme (DEP) with a 5 year programme of local capacity-building and agro-forestry/reforestation, aimed at providing an economic stimulus for the local communities that inhabit the buffer zones of the Park, through the generation of carbon credits and the production of diversified forest products.
The process included a field-based feasibility study which, over a period of 4 months, mapped out the needs of and opportunities for the local stakeholders, culminating in the production of a sustainable strategy business plan paid for by 21st Century Leaders and donated to WWF Mozambique.
How have we helped?
21st Century Leaders donated $763,710 to 21st Century Leaders Foundation, held in a restricted fund to be used for the sole purposes of financing sustainable development projects in Capo Delgado in Northern Mozambique.
$253,454 of the $763,710 funds have been designated to the elaboration of a Pilot Project, in collaboration with implementing partner Pro Natura International, which aims to develop a sustainable small farmer cooperative ‘model’ farm in the Chipembe Dam area, Northern Mozambique. This project focuses on reducing poverty and food insecurity in the region, by supporting increased agricultural production and market-led commercialisation of smallholder agriculture.
Chipembe Dam Pilot Project
Northern Mozambique has suffered from a lack of consistent investment in agriculture, resulting in the prevalence of very basic farming methods, which, coupled with dramatic climate events have lead to a low crop yield and severe vulnerability to drought and flooding. Furthermore, over 50% of the rural population in Cabo Delgado is unable to meet its basic food needs and lives in chronic poverty.
With over 80% of rural households in Capo Delgado practicing agriculture, small-scale farmers in particular are not able to generate enough income and savings to develop their livelihoods, in part due to the uncertainty surrounding land tenure, lack of effective management of groundwater, and lack of access to new production technology. As such, improving the productivity of smallholder farms has had a significant impact on reducing poverty and increasing food security for the majority of the rural population in Cabo Delgado. This is also likely to have had a positive impact on education and health in the region.
The Pilot Project worked with the active support of the Mozambique Agricultural Development Fund, and Plexus (a cotton grower company), to develop a new, sustainable, and climate friendly, 200 hectare small farmer cooperative. The farm area was divided into 40 smallholder farm plots. The cooperative benefits from state-of-the-art agriculture technology, quality inputs, and technical support, to produce year-round, high yield quality products, which generates significant income, guarantees food security, and fosters a better quality of life for the cooperative members, their families, and communities.
Development of the Family Agriculture Productive Chain
In 2018, Pro Natura International together with strategic partners developed a programme of agriculturally enriching activities. The pilot programme involved around 200 farmers, in an area of 600 hectares called Farm Chipembe, in Mozambique. The work was carried out through the creation of a Cooperative and the delivery of the Guy Renaud Agroecology Training Center.
The programme was centred around:
• Training in Natural Agriculture
• Food and Nutrition Security
• Cooking Recipes
• Sustainability and Income Generating
• Community Development
In less than a year Pro Natura transformed many farmers’ lives, by assisting them to harvest a great diversity of products and a new generation of income. Most farmers previously concentrated their food production with an average of 5 products (cotton, corn, beans, boer, sesame) and sometimes (lettuce, pumpkin, onion, okra, cabbage, tomato) all for their own consumption. However through the agroecological model, they started producing a variety of more than 20 products such as pumpkin, lettuce, sweet potato, beet, eggplant, onion, carrot, coriander, kale, spinach, common bean, basil, watermelon,pepper, piri, okra, radish, cabbage, parsley and tomato. This also in turn stimulated more and more farmers to practice greener and fairer farming.
Click here for photos of the project or to read the full project report click here.
Pro Natura Brazil Projects
How have we helped?
21st Century Leaders asked Juan Carlos I, former King of Spain to kindly donate an auction prize, at the Saúde Criança Renascer Gala Dinner held at The Governor's Palace in Rio di Janeiro in August 2008. This auction prize fetched R$30,000 (Brazilian Reals) at auction. 50% of the funds raised went to Saúde Criança Renascer and 50% went to Pro Natura for its work in Brazil.
Click here for more Event Information.
Pro Natura Egypt Projects
Grants paid out by 3rd parties
Subsequent to an introduction by 21st Century Leaders between Rawya Mansour and Pro Natura International, Pro Natura received a grant of €30,000, to fund a short feasibility study about the introduction of biochar in Egypt.
Ramsco & Ramsco for Sustainable Charity Foundation
Ramsco’s mission is to create “zero waste” eco-villages communities in the desert. Thus, Ramsco provides cost efficient, innovative and environmentally friendly agriculture technologies through contract farming. Ramsco modified these technologies, coming from Pro Natura International based in France that decrease land, water and carbon footprint, to produce organic valuable crops with less water and more produce. The projects contribute to political stability through food security with quality assurance and more job opportunities.