First SASI/SASi-SPi workshops in Colombia

The workshops were held in three regions identified through discussion with the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Planning Department (DNP) as focal points of the SASI/SASi-SPi initiative in Colombia: Nariño Centro (May 8-9), Montes de María (May 16-17) and the Cundiboyacence altiplano (May 22-23). About thirty stakeholders on average participated in each workshop: farmers' organizations, women’s groups, policymakers, academia, private sector, agriculture support services, NGOs and projects.

The Nariño Centro territory is part of the department of Nariño, which includes the capital Pasto. It is located in the south of Colombia, in the Andean zone, close to the Amazon area and at the border with Ecuador. It counts eight municipalities for 499,000 inhabitants, situated around the Galeras volcanic complex and crossed by several rivers and the lagoon la Cocha. Family farming is dominant. There are several indigenous communities in the territory. Moderate and severe food insecurity is above the national average.

The main productions are sugar cane to make panela, potato, banana, vegetables, cereals, fruits (especially tree tomato, pineapple, avocado), tomato, coffee. The production of corn, wheat, barley, have been abandoned (agricultural policy of the 1990s) and are imported from the port of Buenaventura, the meat comes largely from the department del Valle del Cauca. Several food products are smuggled from Ecuador (rice, eggs, etc.). The territory is impacted by illicit crops trade: money laundering, high food prices, social instability, etc.  Monoculture causes problems of soil erosion, water contamination and biodiversity loss. All of these problems have led to agroecological development initiatives.

The Montes de María territory is located in the northwest close to the Caribbean region, in the departments of Sucre (Caribbean part) and Bolivar (Andean part). It counts fifteen municipalities and 410,000 people. Farmers are small, medium and large sizes. There are two peasant reserve areas in the territory. Land access conflicts are severe, related to the displacement of populations during the war that lasted more than 25 years. The population growth is significant, linked to the peace process and population return.

The main agricultural activities are cattle breeding and crops of cassava, yam, corn, rice, tobacco, coffee, sesame, palm oil and avocado. Despite its outlets to other close departments and access to the sea, the state of roads penalizes the circulation of food. Food insecurity is significant, especially in the Sucre department (one of the highest prevalence rates in the country). The tropical dry forest, partly protected by nature reserves, is deteriorating due to industrial agriculture and extensive livestock farming on a large scale. Several food processing initiatives have emerged to add value to crops (yam, fruits, milk…).

The Cundiboyacence altiplano territory is located in central Colombia, in part of the departments of Cundinamarca and Boyaca, in the eastern Andes. This territory includes the capital, the Federal District of Bogota, main food consumption center in the country, seven municipalities in Cundinamarca, four municipalities in Boyaca, for a total of eight million people. Farmers are also small, medium and large sizes.

Agricultural production is rather intensive and little diversified (livestock, potatoes, carrots, onions, flowers, etc.) with a strong use of chemicals, the potato being the emblematic product of this territory. Nevertheless, the geographical location of this region makes it a strategic area from an ecosystem point of view, it holds the paramo corridor (important water reserve) the largest in the world. The territory is well connected to Bogota for which it represents the main source of supply, and to other major urban centers of food consumption (Tunja, Chia…). It includes the country’s largest market: Corabastos, and other wholesale markets through which much of Colombia’s agricultural production (yearly 700,000 t of food) transit.