The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) gave Honduras a $25 million loan to help save and restore the country’s forests through the “Sustainable and Resilient Agroforests” project, according to an IDB announcement. The bank’s board backed the plan on September 17 to get more trees planted and help communities manage forests better while making money from them. The project will reach over 4,800 people in five regions and work with 50 local forest groups to teach them how to earn income while protecting trees.
Honduras keeps losing forests, which hurts wildlife and makes life harder for rural families who depend on them. The money will go to Atlántida, Colón, Yoro, Olancho, and El Paraíso – areas where forests can bounce back if communities get involved. The bank plans to provide training, equipment packages, fix damaged watersheds, help people start forest businesses, and upgrade the government’s system for tracking what happens in the woods.
The project will beef up the Honduran National Institute of Forest Conservation and Development by teaching them how to stop wildfires before they start and handle emergencies better. Other work includes improving the country’s forest seed bank, testing a new program that pays communities to prevent fires, and making forest rules easier to follow. These changes should create jobs while keeping forests healthy in rural areas.
The loan splits into $15 million from IDB’s regular funds and $10 million with easier repayment terms. Honduras gets 25 to 40 years to pay it back, with no payments due for the first 5.5 years. The flexible terms recognize that forest projects take time to show results while helping Honduras stick to its promises about managing forests responsibly.
