Introduction

The article argues that addressing environmental crises requires fundamental shifts in human–nature relationships. Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) hold ancestral knowledge and relational values that can guide sustainable and just futures but remain under-recognised as agents of transformative change. The study responds to limited analysis of IPLC-led initiatives by identifying and characterising such initiatives in South America. It applies the “Seeds of Good Anthropocenes” concept, focusing on retro-innovations grounded in ancestral practices. The research examines 127 initiatives from Ecuador, Peru and Colombia, all countries with high biological and cultural diversity.

Results

The initiatives address cultural diversity loss (81%) and biodiversity loss (80%), with most holding relational values (98%). Common outcomes include spreading knowledge and methods (72%), biodiversity conservation (69%), safeguarding local products and traditions (69%), and community education (67%).

Six clusters were identified through hierarchical cluster analysis, categorised into two groups
I-Seeds (IPLC-led initiatives using knowledge co-design):

Empowering (36%): Target livelihoods, food insecurity, exploitation, and rights violations. They mix Indigenous and technological knowledge and produce economic, educational and community-building outcomes. They employ multiple amplification strategies: stabilising, growing, replicating, and scaling up and deep.

Reconnecting People And Nature (9%): Focus on revitalising relationships with nature for conservation and community education. They primarily employ “scaling deep” strategies to shift values and mindsets.

Intercultural And Ancestral Education (17%): Address cultural diversity loss and revitalise values through education grounded in Indigenous and local knowledge. They emphasise scaling deep by reconnecting youth with cultural identity and local worldviews.

Other biocultural initiatives (collaborations with IPLC):

Environmental Research And Monitoring (18%): Led by external actors, relying predominantly on scientific knowledge. They combine intrinsic and relational values and often use scaling up to inform policy.

Rights And Sovereignty (13%): Tackle legislative challenges such as land rights and exploitation. Funded privately, these initiatives use mixed knowledge systems and apply stabilising, scaling up and replication strategies.

Raising Environmental Awareness (6%): Aim to reconnect people with nature, largely through education for visitors and tourists. They employ scaling deep to shift tourist mindsets.

Across clusters, the strongest transformative potential appears in the three I-Seeds types. Their effectiveness is closely linked to IPLC leadership, co-designed knowledge processes, and reliance on Indigenous rules and values. Amplification strategies—particularly scaling deep—support community value shifts and promote sustainability. The analysis suggests that diverse IPLC pathways challenge mainstream development models and contribute meaningfully to sustainability transitions.

Revealing the transformational potential of I-Seeds

I-Seeds demonstrate high potential when Indigenous knowledge, values and decision-making shape initiatives. Empowering and Reconnecting People and Nature exhibit strong sustainability outcomes, while Intercultural and Ancestral Education strengthens cultural identity and linguistic and traditional knowledge. A wider use of amplification strategies corresponds with stronger transformative capacity. The study notes that raising awareness alone (as in some non-IPLC-led clusters) may not lead to deep shifts unless grounded in Indigenous worldviews.

Positionality

The authors acknowledge that they are non-Indigenous scholars using Western frameworks. They recognise limitations due to the lack of co-design with IPLC scholars and the potential for different interpretations if assessed through Indigenous epistemologies.

Conclusions

IPLC initiatives across Ecuador, Peru and Colombia demonstrate substantial capacity to influence sustainable and just futures. Their leadership and integration of Indigenous and local knowledge are essential to enabling transformation. Supporting conditions that allow ancestral systems and retro-innovations to re-emerge is crucial. I-Seeds act as connectors between ancestral knowledge and future-oriented sustainability efforts.