From September 15th to 17th, the Annual Meeting of the Network of Protected Productive Landscapes (PPP) took place in Gobernador Virasoro (Corrientes), an initiative that links the productive sector with the environmental sector to promote innovative solutions that reconcile sustainable production with biodiversity conservation in South America.
Organized by ProYungas Foundation, the event took place at the Víctor Navajas Centeno Agrotechnical Institute, within the framework of the Impacto Verde project, co-financed by the European Union, and had the support of companies such as Las Marías, Navar, Bosques del Plata, Ledesma, Río Tinto, and Agrocatamarca, among others.
Awards and institutional opening
The Victoria Jean Navajas Foundation was awarded for its innovation in sustainable development.
The day began with welcoming words from Víctor Navajas, Adolfo Navajas Fournier, and Alejandro Brown, president of ProYungas.
An award was presented to the Victoria Jean Navajas Foundation, selected in the DINN call of the Impacto Verde project. The certificate was received by Leticia Zumárraga, executive director of the foundation.
PPP 2025 Meeting: productive integration and biodiversity conservation in South America
Status of the PPP Program and new digital tools
A web platform was presented to centralize information and facilitate management.
The first panel discussed the progress of the PPP Program in Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia, with contributions from Lucio Malizia (ProYungas), Laura Villalba (WCS Paraguay), and Julio Cesar Salinas (FCBC Bolivia).
Then, Silvia Pacheco presented the Integrated PPP Management System, a digital tool for companies and the general public.
Corporate sustainability and market opportunities
Strategies to access international markets and strengthen responsible production were discussed.
The following sessions addressed the sustainability vision in PPP companies, with representatives from Las Marías, Navar, Bosques del Plata, and Forestal Argentina, and market demands, with the participation of national authorities, consultants, and academics.
The keynote speech was given by Sabine Papendieck, who spoke about access to international agro-industrial markets.
New memberships and territorial expansion
During the afternoon, agreements of adherence were signed with PEFC Argentina and the Argentine Forestry Association (AFoA).
Certificates were also awarded to new PPP companies from Argentina (Oro Negro, Puerto Timbués, Reserva Villavicencio) and Bolivia (Agua Dulce, La Ahogada, El Mate, Sinergia Finca Agroecológica).
Companies and biodiversity: investing for positive impact
Concrete cases of integrated conservation linked to production were shared.
The final session showed how conservation can be profitable, with examples from Rewilding, GlobalGAP, FCBC, and ProYungas, moderated by Estefanía Sánchez.
The participation of the Río Tinto mining company was highlighted, expanding the program’s reach.
Closure and field visit: territorial strengthening of the PPP
The program is growing in South America thanks to international cooperation and business commitment.
Alejandro Brown presented a retrospective of the PPP project, executed between 2021 and 2025, emphasizing its regional growth.
Through a video, Ilse Cougé (EU) celebrated the sustainable development approach. The meeting concluded with a field visit to Las Marías and Bosques del Plata, where concrete actions of integrated production with conservation were showcased.
