Pilcomayo Project

The overall goal of this project is to optimize the sábalo fisheries value chain in the Pilcomayo River Basin (including both Bolivia and Argentina), promoting improved sustainable harvests and better returns for local fishers and their families. This project will develop the foundation for a sustainable future and the exploitation of the resource for the benefit of food security at the local and regional levels.

The project works in a complementary way with existing initiatives including those of NATIVA (“Promoting sustainable alternatives that empower local communities to address the impacts of climate change”), and CERDET (“Strengthening the knowledge and skills of Weenhayek village families for sustainable natural resource management in the Pilcomayo river région and surrounding territory “). This complementarity also promotes the identification and development of synergies with municipalities and regional government policies and programs.

For years, the need for an international effort to improve the sábalo value chain has been discussed, but never acted upon, until now. The Master Plan of integrated management in the Pilcomayo River Basin prepared by a Trinational Commission (Argentina-Paraguay-Bolivia) represents a first step in this direction, but to date, there are few elements and little information to build effective strategies. In this sense, the project has a specific focus on transnational issues, joining Bolivian, Argentinian and Paraguayan forces, with very solid technical foundations and knowledge management strategies.