The Gran Chaco Pathways Towards a Sustainable Future 2025

Ecotourism can boost income from conservation Ecotourism can serve as a complementary tool for agricultural and livestock producers to boost income and support conservation efforts. In alignment with ProYungas Foundation’s protected productive landscapes project – which integrates protected areas with privately managed productive lands – agricultural and livestock producers, encouraged by public-private financing initiatives, could dedicate portions of their properties to conservation, establishing private nature reserves. These areas, together with state-protected zones, can be connected through ecological corridors, creating ecotourism routes and trails that promote local biodiversity, facilitate wildlife movement and generate sustainable, long-term jobs. This approach not only enhances biodiversity conservation but also helps producers diversify income streams from their land. 4.4 Building resilient, multi-stakeholder governance to navigate political shifts and drive sustainable development Recent political and structural changes in Argentina and Paraguay highlight the challenges and opportunities for advancing sustainable development in the Gran Chaco. In Argentina, shifts in environmental policies and budget allocations have raised concerns about the continuity of conservation efforts. However, re-aligning national strategies with international frameworks, such as the 2030 Agenda, could strengthen resilience, secure food and water systems and unlock international funding for infrastructure, conservation and climate adaptation initiatives. In Paraguay, collaborative efforts within the beef value chain, such as the Paraguayan Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, demonstrate progress in building multi-stakeholder sustainability initiatives. Strengthening public-private partnerships and fostering science-based decision-making can further enhance long-term environmental and social outcomes. By leveraging existing initiatives and reinforcing stakeholder engagement, Paraguay has the potential to advance sustainable land-use strategies while maintaining economic growth and environmental preservation. Based on the opportunities and scenarios outlined above, the imperative to enhance governance and resilience in the Gran Chaco emerges as a critical and central pillar for scaling-up these initiatives and solutions, as well as ensuring resilience to withstand political shifts. Strengthening governance is essential to achieving a development model that effectively harmonizes production and conservation within the biome. The Gran Chaco: Pathways Towards a Sustainable Future 43