Sustainable enterprises

CDF works with partners in fisheries, tourism and agriculture to develop and promote sustainable enterprises for Galapagos. Socially responsible local enterprises and community organizations that operate within the natural limits of the ecosystem are critical to the future of Galapagos.

© CDFLocal cooperative aided by CDF funding

To help promote of sustainable tourism, fisheries, and agriculture in the island, the CDF works with partners in the fisheries, agriculture and commercial sectors. Community support is essential to this effort. The people of Galapagos, through both their consumption of local products and their relationships with business owners, can have a direct impact on commercial enterprises and help hold them accountable.

CDF’s population monitoring of key species for the fishing sector in Galapagos has a direct benefit to understanding how to conserve resources. By providing such research data, CDF encourages enterprises to consider the long-term conservation of resources in Galapagos. Sea cucumbers and spiny lobster are important within the Galapagos economy, but are also part of the marine ecosystem, so it is important to provide Galapagos stakeholders with accurate information on which decisions can be made.

CDF actively explores ways to minimize the impact of fishing in Galapagos. CDF supports projects to develop high-value, low-impact products that can provide an alternative livelihood for fishing families.

CDF and its partners also address the issue of food production. The Galapagos National Park permits agriculture in the highland areas of the inhabited islands, and CDF has developed an agriculture program to educate and support local farmers. The goal of this program is to create conditions in which the Galapagos farmers can supply fresh produce to the local market (including tourism), while having minimum impact on the Galapagos environment – a huge challenge.

The Community “Voice”

Local community organizations play an important role in developing a sustainable society. Through the assistance of CDF and in collaboration with one another, they can become the “Community Voice” of conservation. In this role they can help remind the commercial sector that it must be concerned with the future of Galapagos through sustainable harvesting of natural resources and generally operating in an ecologically – and socially – responsible manner.