Indigenous bioeconomy policies

In the Napo province of Ecuador, the Kichwa Amazonian Chakra has become the driving force behind a new public policy on the economic activities derived from biological goods and processes (bioeconomy).

The Amazonian Chakra is an ancestral agroforestry system historically managed by Indigenous Peoples, which involves growing crops organically and sustainably alongside trees and plants, thereby protecting biodiversity and the Amazonian forests.

In 2023 the system reached a global milestone when it was designated by the FAO as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). This international recognition validated the chakra as a resilient model, characterised by its remarkable agrobiodiversity, its invaluable environmental benefits, and the deep ancestral wisdom of Indigenous Kichwa women farmers known as ‘chakramamas’ (women of the chakra)

Yet despite this global prestige and an initial provincial bylaw approved in 2017, the reality on the ground demanded urgent regulatory changes to get support from the local government. Producers felt the legal framework fell short in the face of challenges related to market access, the climate crisis and the need for real incentives.

In this context, the Corporation of Associations of the Amazonian Chakra (Corporación de Asociaciones de la Chakra Amazónica) – also known as Corporation Chakra – led a policy advocacy process from 2023-25 to reform the bylaw and recognise the Kichwa Amazonian Chakra in tangible local policies. The corporation coordinates five grassroots organisations: Ally Guayusa, Inti, Kallari, Tsatsayaku and Wiñak.

Forest and Farm Facility activities

The Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) played a catalytic role, providing financial resources and facilitating a process to strengthen the corporation’s internal governance and ensure the voices of Indigenous Peoples were incorporated into the structural reform.

With FFF support, dialogue workshops, legal advice and regulatory updates were carried out that enabled the 1,285 members (760 of whom are women) and the corporation’s technical staff to analyse the gaps in the 2017 regulations.

Significance of impact

In December 2025, the Napo provincial council approved the comprehensive reform, bringing into law the Ordinance for the Recognition, Promotion and Comprehensive Management of the Amazonian Chakra Kichwa as an Ancestral System of Productive Conservation and Bioeconomy.

This law is transformational, as it formally establishes four key institutional governance bodies to promote the Kichwa Amazonian Chakra in the bioeconomy: the Amazonian Biobusiness Council; the Napo Biobusiness Development Centre; the Amazonian Chakra Kichwa Bioeconomy Innovation Centre; and the Guild of Organised Bioentrepreneurs. To ensure the economic viability of these entities, the legislation establishes concrete support mechanisms, including preferential credit lines and specific tax benefits for sustainable bio-enterprises.

Conclusion

These institutional and regulatory advances position Napo province as a leader in Indigenous bioeconomy policies, demonstrating that public policy is most effective when it originates from its own stakeholders and is grounded in inclusive governance (women, youth, Indigenous Peoples).

With the support of FFF and Corporation Chakra, the Amazonian Chakra is no longer merely protected as a heritage of the past; it is now promoted as the bioeconomic development model for the present and future of the Amazon.

Indigenous bioeconomy policies

Forest and Farm Facility activities

Significance of impact

Conclusion

Further reading