Ketrawe: Empowering Agroforestry in Bolivia with CarbonSpace
January 2025
By Lior Torenberg
January 15th, 2024
Bolivia, ranked third globally in deforestation, faces an urgent environmental challenge. Over the past two decades (2001-2021), the Santa Cruz de la Sierra region alone lost over 4 million hectares of forest cover, transforming these vital carbon sinks into carbon emitters due to widespread fires. Farmers in the region often view forests as liabilities, reducing farmland and profitability.
However, Ignacio Molina, representing Ketrawe Foundation’s agroforestry initiatives, is shifting this paradigm by redefining the farmer-forest relationship to prioritize sustainability and profitability.
However, Ignacio Molina, representing Ketrawe Foundation’s agroforestry initiatives, is shifting this paradigm by redefining the farmer-forest relationship to prioritize sustainability and profitability.
A New Approach to Farmer-Forest Relationships
Agroforestry is a revolutionary practice that provides multiple benefits for local ecosystems:
Agroforestry is a revolutionary practice that provides multiple benefits for local ecosystems:
- Increased Yields: Forest integration boosts crop yields by up to 23%, depending on the crop.
- Soil Health and Cost Efficiency: Trees enrich the soil with nitrogen, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers by 20%.
- Resilience: Agroforestry minimizes flooding and soil erosion and stabilizes water cycles, creating favorable humidity conditions with natural forest curtains.
CarbonSpace and Ketrawe's Partnership
To support its agroforestry mission, the Ketrawe Foundation partnered with CarbonSpace to measure the impact of its agroforestry practices. CarbonSpace provides monitoring, reporting, and verification services for any plot worldwide without needing on-site visits. Together, Ketrawe and CarbonSpace aim to generate affordable and trustworthy carbon credits to reinvest in forest protection and management.
“We searched for various companies like CarbonSpace, but the CarbonSpace team stood out. They understood the project well, making us trust the process and feel comfortable. CarbonSpace understands field realities better than others, which is critical for us,” said Ignacio.
“Our decision to work with Ketrawe on this worthy initiative is in part motivated by the foundation’s deep commitment to actionable results and its established presence in agroforestry,” said Lior Torenberg, CarbonSpace’s Chief of Staff. “Ketrawe’s ability to mobilize resources and create meaningful impact on the ground is inspiring. Our alignment in values and expertise made the collaboration a natural fit, enabling both parties to invest in this transformative project.”
To support its agroforestry mission, the Ketrawe Foundation partnered with CarbonSpace to measure the impact of its agroforestry practices. CarbonSpace provides monitoring, reporting, and verification services for any plot worldwide without needing on-site visits. Together, Ketrawe and CarbonSpace aim to generate affordable and trustworthy carbon credits to reinvest in forest protection and management.
“We searched for various companies like CarbonSpace, but the CarbonSpace team stood out. They understood the project well, making us trust the process and feel comfortable. CarbonSpace understands field realities better than others, which is critical for us,” said Ignacio.
“Our decision to work with Ketrawe on this worthy initiative is in part motivated by the foundation’s deep commitment to actionable results and its established presence in agroforestry,” said Lior Torenberg, CarbonSpace’s Chief of Staff. “Ketrawe’s ability to mobilize resources and create meaningful impact on the ground is inspiring. Our alignment in values and expertise made the collaboration a natural fit, enabling both parties to invest in this transformative project.”
Verified and Trusted Data
This graph presents the annual net ecosystem exchange (NEE) between 2013 - 2023. NEE refers to the net amount of carbon emitted or sequestered during a given period. Negative values refer to sequestration, or the removal of carbon from the atmosphere.
“CarbonSpace’s data also aligns closely with our on-field measurements. Compared to other solutions, their data was the most accurate, and we trusted it the most. This trust will enable us to get more local people and farmers to buy into this project.”
This graph represents the monthly net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of a given plot of land in 2023. Negative values refer to sequestration.
“CarbonSpace ensures that most of the carbon credit revenue goes back into the field, unlike other systems where consultants take the lion’s share. This affordable MRV approach benefits farmers and ensures practical downstream impact.”
Photograph: Lee Scott / Unsplash
Impact and Future Potential
Ketrawe’s initial proof of concept project with CarbonSpace spans 91 hectares, demonstrating the benefits of agroforestry for agriculture and ecosystem strength. The potential exists to scale this model across 100,000 hectares, transforming Bolivia’s deforestation narrative into one of restoration and resilience.
Beyond data accuracy and trust, CarbonSpace offers a safer and more efficient method for forest monitoring. As Ignacio explains, “On-site measurements in forests are dangerous due to wildlife risks. It’s not always safe to conduct on-site measurements. CarbonSpace eliminates that risk from the equation.”
The Ketrawe Foundation’s agroforestry initiative, supported by CarbonSpace, exemplifies how technology-driven partnerships can address global challenges like deforestation. By fostering trust, providing accurate data, and ensuring equitable revenue distribution, CarbonSpace empowers on-ground actors like Ketrawe to repair at-risk ecosystems and build sustainable futures.
Ketrawe’s initial proof of concept project with CarbonSpace spans 91 hectares, demonstrating the benefits of agroforestry for agriculture and ecosystem strength. The potential exists to scale this model across 100,000 hectares, transforming Bolivia’s deforestation narrative into one of restoration and resilience.
Beyond data accuracy and trust, CarbonSpace offers a safer and more efficient method for forest monitoring. As Ignacio explains, “On-site measurements in forests are dangerous due to wildlife risks. It’s not always safe to conduct on-site measurements. CarbonSpace eliminates that risk from the equation.”
The Ketrawe Foundation’s agroforestry initiative, supported by CarbonSpace, exemplifies how technology-driven partnerships can address global challenges like deforestation. By fostering trust, providing accurate data, and ensuring equitable revenue distribution, CarbonSpace empowers on-ground actors like Ketrawe to repair at-risk ecosystems and build sustainable futures.