What is PROARCA?

     PROARCA is the Regional Environmental Program for Central America, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It was created by the Joint Central America-USA Declaration (CONCAUSA) made in December 1994 to support the Alliance for Sustainable Development (ALIDES, its Spanish acronym), which was signed by the Central American governments in October 1994. CONCAUSA was renewed and expanded in June 2001.

     Since 1996, PROARCA has supported the agenda of the Central American Commission on the Environment and Development (CCAD), which is part of the Central American Integration System (SICA). During its first 5 years, PROARCA focused on conservation and natural resources management in the region.

The objective for the second five year phase (2002-2007) is to improve environmental management in the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (CBM). PROARCA has structured its work in four components to achieve this regional objective. They are to:

1) Improve the management of protected areas
2) Promote environmentally sound products and services
3) Harmonize environmental policies
4) Promote the use of less polluting technologies in the municipal and private sectors

     A Small Grants Program complements this structure by financing activities in support of the four major components. PROARCA emphasizes its work in territories defined by the watersheds of the Gulf of Honduras and the Gulf of Fonseca, the Mosquitia Coast (Honduras and Nicaragua), and the area from La Amistad to Río Cañas (Costa Rica and Panamá). PROARCA also supports the CCAD’s regional biodiversity agenda and development of CCAD’s strategic vision for the environment in Central America.