Bridging Ancient Wisdom and Modern Solutions: Joint SDG Fund in Action

As the world marks the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on 9 August, the 2025, it is a powerful reminder to seize indigenous knowledge and wisdom to forge a path to a sustainable digital future. The Joint SDG Fund, through its work, is spotlighting Indigenous leadership through integrated development solutions—from Amazon-based agricultural programs and self-sustaining community infrastructure to inclusive digital services—demonstrating how ancient wisdom and modern tools can converge to advance the SDGs. 

Bolivia: Amazon Agriculture Transformation

In Bolivia's Amazon region, ancient agricultural wisdom meets the urgent demands of climate change through a transformative programme that weaves together indigenous farming traditions, market access, and environmental adaptation into a single powerful narrative. 

The initiative supports over 6,000 indigenous women and youth across 14 vulnerable municipalities, improving their agricultural productivity and connecting them to new markets. By leveraging a potential US$23 million loan from IFAD on Amazonian fruit value chains, the programme develops sustainable enterprises while promoting ecosystem conservation and improving local nutrition. 

The programme's impact extends beyond direct participants, with an estimated 280,000 people benefiting indirectly through improved food access and strengthened production systems. Working with the national government, it integrates indigenous communities into broader planning frameworks and supports the National Food Systems Pathway for nationwide sustainable transformation.

Colombia: Community-Led Self-Sufficiency

 In Colombia, indigenous communities are transforming their villages into self-sufficiency, guided by an approach that elevates local wisdom. Rather than imposing outside solutions, the initiative works alongside indigenous leaders to co-design systems that respect traditional practices while incorporating sustainable technologies. 

The transformation unfolds through community hands: members collaborate to bring solar power to their schools, engineer water systems that nourish both families and crops, and pioneer construction methods using materials drawn from their own lands. This collaborative spirit ensures that each solution becomes both environmentally sustainable and culturally rooted, managed entirely by the communities who understand them best. 

The programme creates models that can be adapted by other indigenous groups facing similar challenges, demonstrating how sustainable development can honor traditional knowledge while embracing modern tools.

Guatemala: Digital Inclusion with Cultural Respect

 Guatemala's programme is accelerating the digital transformation of public services, particularly for women, youth, and indigenous peoples. The initiative will improve digital services for over 875,000 citizens through interoperable digital public goods and register more than 96,000 people in the Social Household Registry for social protection programmes. 

The momentum builds under the Presidential Commission for Open and Electronic Government, where this initiative becomes part of the National Digital Agenda that brings together resources and expertise from partners like The Inter-American Development Bank. This collaborative ecosystem amplifies the programme's impact, creating a web of digital innovation that extends far beyond any single initiative. 

This technological leap forward ensures that as Guatemala modernizes, indigenous communities advance alongside the nation while preserving the cultural identity and governance structures that define who they are. Progress and tradition converge, proving that digital transformation can honor the past while building the future. 

Strengthening Knowledge

These programmes across Bolivia, Colombia, and Guatemala represent a transformative approach to development—one that recognizes indigenous knowledge as essential to addressing climate change, food security, and sustainable development challenges. 

From Amazon agriculture transformation to self-sufficient villages to inclusive digital services, these initiatives demonstrate that progress means strengthening traditional wisdom with modern tools and unprecedented support. 

This Indigenous Peoples Day, we celebrate both the rich heritage of indigenous communities and their vital leadership in creating sustainable solutions for tomorrow. 

Note: All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and our private sector funding partners, for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.