Bridging global goals and regional realities in Colombia

Non-forest ecosystems—such as savannas and grasslands —play a vital role in supporting biodiversity, regulating the climate, and providing essential ecosystem services. Yet, they are often overlooked in global frameworks designed to eliminate land conversion from agricultural supply chains.

To address this gap, the Accountability Framework initiative (AFi) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) have been collaborating since 2023 to strengthen understanding of non-forest ecosystem dynamics and improve supply chain practices. This collaboration has included presenting research at international conferences, leading sessions at events across the Americas, and co-hosting a workshop in Australia. Most recently, in June, the AFi and WRI brought together partners—including the Colombia country offices of The Nature Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Society, WRI, and WWF—for a regional workshop in Colombia’s Orinoquía. The gathering provided an opportunity for local stakeholders to share their work and perspectives on defining, monitoring, and addressing the conversion of the region’s savannas.

The Orinoquía’s savannas

Spanning the eastern plains of Colombia, the savannas of the Orinoquía are home to remarkable biodiversity and hold a significant portion of the nation’s underground water reserves. These landscapes also carry deep cultural significance, shaped by generations of traditional land management practices that have supported both livelihoods and the conservation of ecological functions. However, this region is also considered an agricultural frontier, and agriculture and other land uses are expanding across the savanna. This includes expansion of crops such as palm oil and rice, the establishment of forest plantations, and a move toward more intensified cattle production—all of which threaten the integrity of these ecosystems. 

Grounding global frameworks in local realities

In response to these pressures, the goal of the workshop was to bring together regional perspectives on what constitutes a natural ecosystem, and how conversion can be effectively monitored, while also exploring ways to align these local insights with global definitions and frameworks for identifying and addressing ecosystem conversion.

The organisers brought together a diverse group of stakeholders—from academia, civil society, finance, local organisations, and producer associations—to examine how land use change is shaping the savannas of the Colombian Orinoquía. During the workshop, stakeholders discussed regional realities and the specific challenges of applying global definitions, data, and tools to local landscapes.

Data and decision-making

Participants explored and evaluated a range of global and national land cover datasets, examining their effectiveness in detecting non-forest natural ecosystems and monitoring their conversion. These evaluations considered both the technical accuracy of the datasets and their practical relevance for informing corporate supply chain decisions and conservation planning. The discussions also provided an opportunity for participants to offer direct feedback to the developers of global tools such as the SBTN Natural Lands Map and Global Pasture Watch. In parallel, the group began exploring regionally tailored approaches to identifying and tracking ecosystem conversion in Colombia, including preliminary ideas for land cover classifications and indicators that could be aligned with the Accountability Framework.

Be a part of the process

Translating this momentum into practical tools for implementing no-conversion commitments will require continued collaboration. Defining and mapping non-forest ecosystems in a way that supports both conservation and supply chain accountability is a complex task—one that depends on sustained engagement across sectors.

Building on the insights from this workshop and others, organisers and participants are working to synthesise findings into a scientific publication and contribute to forthcoming technical guidance. These efforts aim to ensure that regional knowledge informs global standards and vice versa.

If you work on land classification, supply chain monitoring, or ecosystem conservation in Colombia—or in similar landscapes—your expertise can help shape more effective and inclusive solutions.

To get involved in this project, contact AFi Science and Policy Specialist Sam Levy.