Case study #02: Colombia – Páramo ecosystems and the upward agricultural expansion in the Nariño department

This case study analyzes the upward expansion of agriculture in the páramos of the Nariño Department in Colombia, one of the most biodiverse and strategic high-mountain ecosystems in the Andes. Pressure from potato production, extensive livestock farming, mining, urbanization, and illicit activities, combined with climate change, has led to the loss of 30–50% of the original páramo area, impacting biodiversity, water regulation, and carbon storage. The document identifies integrated solutions, including sustainable intensification below the páramo belt, agroecology, silvopastoral systems, ecological restoration, environmental education, territorial governance, and Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes. The study demonstrates that while agriculture is a key driver of degradation, it can also be central to the solution through territorial, participatory, and biodiversity-based approaches, aligned with CGIAR’s Nature Positive initiative.