Community communication is a social process based on dialogue, listening, trust, the exchange of knowledge, and collective participation. Its purpose is to bring about meaningful and lasting change. The idea is to move from the inside out: it begins in community gathering spaces, building consensus and strengthening capacities, and then extends to other organizations, authorities, and stakeholders involved in land management.
With this vision in mind, for the past two years Procuenca, with support from IKI Small Grants, has been working alongside six ejidos in the upper part of the Valle de Bravo–Amanalco watershed in the State of Mexico on the project “Operational Plans for Climate-Resilient Ejido Communities.” This initiative seeks to integrate climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation measures into land management processes, thereby strengthening the communities’ capacity to address current environmental challenges.
Communication has been a cross-cutting theme of the project, facilitating spaces for reflection, learning, and collective action. It all began with a fundamental question: What do we mean by the common good? Building on this, participatory dialogues were held throughout 2024 that served as the basis for developing operational plans aligned with the needs and priorities of each ejido.
Through workshops and participatory exercises, an assessment was conducted on the management, use, and conservation of natural resources. This process made it possible to identify issues, recognize strengths, and evaluate the social and environmental benefits associated with integrated land management in the face of climate change. As a result, the 2025 Ejido Operational Plans were developed for San Jerónimo, San Juan, Agua Bendita, Amanalco, San Bartolo, and San Lucas. This experience reinforces our belief that tools such as dialogue, participation, and the recognition of local knowledge are just as important for community resilience as environmental conservation and restoration actions are for the conservation of these territories.
Workshop for ejidos on pest identification and prevention. Residents of various ejidos in the Amanalco–Valle de Bravo watershed, State of Mexico. Credit: Fondo Procuenca.
Workshop on pest identification and prevention. Residents of various ejidos in the Amanalco–Valle de Bravo watershed, State of Mexico. Credit: Fondo Procuenca.
Ejido members and brigades from different ejidos identifying pests in the forest. Agua Bendita Ejido, Amanalco, State of Mexico. Credit: Fondo Procuenca.
Intergenerational dialogue. Workshop on pest identification and prevention, Agua Bendita ejido, Amanalco, State of Mexico. Credit: Fondo Procuenca.
Intergenerational dialogue. Workshop on pest identification and prevention, Agua Bendita Ejido, Amanalco, State of Mexico. Credit: Fondo Procuenca.