Regenerative BioEconomy: Shuar de la Selva

Shuar de la Selva is a Shuar-led initiative, born from a vision held by Shuar leaders themselves. Several years ago, William Shiqui, a Shuar leader from Morona Santiago, approached us with a clear intention: to build an economy in alignment with nature, where communities live as allies of the forest rather than being forced into extractive models. From the beginning, this vision has been guided by Shuar leadership, with external partners supporting as allies.

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The regenerative bio-economy being developed is rooted in ancestral knowledge, biodiversity protection, and long-term community resilience. It is based on living systems rather than extraction, focusing on forest-based products such as medicinal plants, cacao, coffee, honey, and food crops that can be cultivated, processed, and shared sustainably—while keeping land, culture, and decision-making in Shuar hands.

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Clean water is the foundation that makes this bio-economy possible. Health, food production, plant cultivation, and local value creation all depend on reliable access to safe water. By securing this foundation, communities are able to move beyond survival and toward self-determined economic development that strengthens both people and forest.

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This model offers a living alternative to deforestation and extractive pressure: an economy where the forest remains standing, culture remains alive, and future generations inherit both ecological integrity and real economic opportunity.