Guaviare becomes first department to turn bioeconomy into public policy

In 2024, the department of Guaviare faced a significant environmental challenge, losing 16,908 hectares of forest according to data from the National Environmental Information System (Ideam) and reports from regional environmental authorities. In response to this alarming trend, the Departmental Government of Guaviare, through its Administrative Department of Planning, developed and presented to the Departmental Assembly the Policy for Sustainable Economic Development (PPDES+B) 2026–2036. This initiative aims to protect the 4.8 million hectares of natural forest within the department, which constitutes 87% of its territory, by replacing illegal logging and extensive cattle ranching with high-revenue biobusiness models tailored for local communities. The policy has received technical support from the Swiss NGO Swisscontact and funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The PPDES+B seeks to position Guaviare as a national and international reference point for zero deforestation and development based on bioeconomy principles. According to Governor Yeison Ferney Rojas Martínez, the department is proposing a new path for the country and the world: demonstrating that it is possible to generate development without destroying the rainforest. His goal is clear: achieve zero deforestation by 2036 and build prosperity based on the region's biodiversity.

Guaviare, which spans 53,460 square kilometers and has over 84,800 inhabitants according to projections by the National Administrative Department of Statistics (Dane) for 2026, faces two major challenges: ending deforestation and reducing multidimensional poverty, which affects more than 45% of its population. Through this new policy, the department plans to fundamentally transform its economic model, shifting away from extractive and illicit activities toward a socio-biological economy that sustainably leverages biodiversity as a driver of development. This approach aligns with national projections estimating that the biodiversity-based economy could represent up to 3% of the country’s GDP and create over 500,000 green jobs by 2030.

Recently, the Departmental Assembly approved an ordinance establishing the implementation of a public policy aimed at promoting sustainable economic development in Guaviare, with a focus on bioeconomy, to achieve zero deforestation by 2036. Alongside Guaviare, departments such as Caquetá, southern Meta, and Putumayo form part of the deforestation arc, the area most affected by logging in the past decade. Pablo León, coordinator of the project by the NGO Swisscontact, explained that the policy not only encourages the conservation of natural resources but also strengthens communities to find new ways to generate income.

According to León, the bioeconomy, an economic model based on the sustainable use of forests, seeks to break the tension between conservation and the sustainable use of resources. The policy is led by the Guaviare Departmental Government and was formulated with a consultancy conducted by Swisscontact, funded by the IDB. During its implementation, it is expected to include communities who will receive training to develop productive capacity. However, there are currently insufficient resources. Although the policy had funding from the IDB for its design, during the execution phase, the department must secure the necessary resources to implement the policy over the next ten years. The environmental budget for Guaviare for the entire year is approximately 224 million pesos.

Despite these challenges, León noted that potential funding sources could emerge, including private, public, international cooperation, and investments such as green bonds, which are loans used to finance projects with environmental benefits. "The department has the possibility to develop these mechanisms moving forward, and that is part of the process of the policy," he said. Political viability is another challenge. According to León, since the policy spans ten years, it will depend on future governors and mayors to include it in their development plans to ensure its implementation. A commission will oversee the implementation. Through the Regional Commission for Competitiveness and Innovation of Guaviare, which includes both the public and private sectors, the implementation of the policy will be supported, and they will be responsible for presenting accounts to the Departmental Assembly.

Currently, the bioeconomy represents 0.13% of Colombia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), although the target is to reach 3% by 2030. Its low weight is partly due to the limited market in the country. For example, according to a survey by the consulting firm Innovanalisis, 70% of Colombians are unaware of Amazonian fruits, which are part of the bioeconomy. Meanwhile, a column by Julian Guerrero, former vice minister of tourism, states that Guaviare became one of the fastest-growing nature tourism destinations in the country between 2020 and 2024. According to the National Tourism Statistical Office (Anato), between January and September 2024, the department recorded an 108% increase in foreign visitors, the highest in the country. However, its consolidation as an emerging destination was affected by armed group confrontations and a decline in tourism investment, down 27% in the third quarter of 2025 compared to 2024. Between January and November 2025, non-resident visitors to Colombia decreased by 7% compared to the same period in 2024.