The Community Development and Knowledge Management for the Satoyama Initiative Programme (COMDEKS) was launched in 2011 as the flagship of the Satoyama Initiative, a global effort to promote sustainable use of natural resources in the landscapes worked in and relied upon by rural communities. These working landscapes and waters—known as socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS)—encompass many uses, from farming and fishing to forestry, and provide an economic and cultural mainstay of village life in developing nations. They also provide a reservoir of critical biodiversity and productive habitat that is key to the large-scale success of conservation efforts. Funded by the Japan Biodiversity Fund, the Programme is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme, in partnership with the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the United Nations University—Institute of Advanced Studies of Sustainability. Grants are delivered through the GEF Small Grants Programme in each country. This publication has three principal purposes: • Set out the conceptual basis of the COMDEKS Programme and explain its community-led approach to landscape management; • Summarize key messages gleaned from the overall Programme design and lessons learned during the community consultation and early implementation phases in target landscapes; • Present case studies of target landscapes and communities that set the local context, describe programme activities, and report preliminary findings on the ground in ten countries participating in the first phase of the programme.