Piojó is a municipality on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, 60 kilometres from Barranquilla, the capital of the department of Atlántico.
The economy of the area is mainly based on livestock and agriculture, which are practised in a traditional way, so that the forests of the region have been largely deforested or severely degraded. The Cerro La Vieja, which is part of the Montes de María, is located in the region and reaches 514 m above sea level.
Within the framework of the “Dry Tropical Forest” project, together with local communities and partner organisations such as Chukuwata and BIMA, we are developing economic alternatives to deforestation through the use and transformation of certain wild tree species such as Achiote (Bixa sp.), Guáimaro (Brosimum alicastrum), Orejero (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) and Camajón (Sterculia apetala). We also promote the implementation of agroforestry systems that protect the soil and native biodiversity. In addition, through community nurseries, we propagate dry forest species for reforestation and fruit trees to stimulate the rural economy.
The project currently benefits 26 farming families in the municipality.
