Weak land rights is one of the leading causes of tropical deforestation. The department of Caqueta in the Colombian Amazon has led the country in hectares of deforested land in recent years, and has been impacted heavily by the internal conflict for the last several decades. Due to the conflict and the difficulty of collecting up to date land data in rural areas, data on land tenure and land prices are inaccurate and outdated. This research took a multi-pronged approach by collecting both quantitative data on land parcels, tenure type and prices, as well as perceptions on tenure security and land use decision-making processes. Data was collected through 450 surveys, 109 individual interviews with both men and women, as well as through three focus groups with women leaders in Caqueta. Data collection took place from March 2021 to March 2024. Surveys and interviews were primarily carried out by local partners. The focus group methodology was co-designed with the author and Corpomanigua, a local organization focusing on the cultivation of a dignified life, human rights and gender equality in the department of Caqueta. Preliminary results have found that women have less secure land rights than men, although those who have experienced a previous displacement were more likely to perceive their land tenure rights as insecure regardless of gender. Women are also more likely to value conservation and the cultivation of a range of native Amazon species than men. Causes of insecure land tenure include location of farm, previous forced displacement, informal land tenure holdings, and the lack of land tenure policy implementation.
