Towards an integrative approach for sustainable land use futures: Insights from a participatory scenario workshop in the Peruvian Amazon

Prestes Dürrnagel A.; Stuch B.; Krawczyk F.; Broocks A.-K.; Monteiro A.S.; Calderón Quiñonez A.P.; Pinzón Cuellar C.; Valdeiglesias J.P.; Cabanillas F. · Futures (2026) · DOI: 10.1016/j.futures.2026.103900

Resumen

The land use activities in the Peruvian department of Madre de Dios have turned towards unsustainable practices that increasingly risk the stability of the regional social-ecological system (SES). Located in the Amazonian lowlands in the Southwest of the country, improved infrastructural access through the Interoceanic Highway has paved the way for profound changes. The immigration of heterogeneous populations seeking livelihood opportunities is accompanied by changing land use patterns and deforestation, driven by emerging commercialized land use activities, such as agricultural intensification and gold mining. To evaluate how land use can be directed towards sustainability by bringing together diverse and often conflicting perspectives, we compile an integrative approach to normative scenario development, to co-create visions, and pathways, and to identify leverage points for transformative change. We apply this approach during a participatory scenario workshop with regional stakeholders to gain relevant insights on sustainable land use for the regional SES of Madre de Dios. The co-created visions and transition pathways of three working groups, comprising the key land use sectors of forest, agriculture, and mining, were integrated into a broader land use systems perspective. Four leverage points were identified: (1) integrated land use planning and promoting good land governance, (2) promoting sustainable technologies and capacity-building programs, (3) strengthening local economies and value chains, and (4) establishing dialog platforms for the building of trust.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Amazónica de Madre de Dios