Oaxaca Launches ‘Layú Stidu’ Caravans for Sustainability

The State of Oaxaca has launched the “Layú Stidu Environmental Caravans” program, a sustainability initiative aimed at promoting environmental stewardship through technical support and community engagement. Governor Salomón Jara Cruz introduced the program in Oaxaca de Juárez’s Candiani district, highlighting the collaboration between government, the private sector, and citizens to preserve natural resources.

The initiative will tour municipalities across the state, providing tailored technical assistance, training, and direct support to local and agrarian authorities, as well as producers. Karime Unda Harp, Secretary of Environment, Biodiversity, Energy, and Sustainability, identified six core focus areas: integrated watershed and water resource management; solid waste management; climate change and renewable energy; air quality control; environmental education; and natural resource conservation.

Governor Jara described Layú Stidu—meaning “our land” in Zapotec—as “a bridge between technical knowledge and community action,” fostering environmental awareness in daily life. “There is no development without sustainability, no social justice without a healthy environment, and no future without treating the land with respect,” he said.

Unda Harp explained that Layú Stidu will serve as an environmental justice mechanism, delivering tools, knowledge, and solutions directly to communities most affected by environmental degradation. “It promotes a culture of shared responsibility for the state’s sustainability,” she said.

Filemón Manzano Méndez, director of the federal environment agency’s Oaxaca office, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to safeguarding ecosystems. The program aims to reach all 570 municipalities in Oaxaca by the end of the year.