Colombia
Violence, displacement and land theft are widespread in Colombia. Many farming families in Antioquia have been threatened and displaced by armed groups. Together with our local partner organisation ACA, we support young smallholders to unite and defend their rights. We strengthen their cultural identity and promote income-generating initiatives in organic farming.
Hear from the people on the ground
Orlando Restrepo from Argelia
22 years old
The department of Antioquia in north-western Colombia is rich in natural resources and water sources, and produces over a quarter of the nation’s electricity. The construction of dams and the cultivation of coca and agrofuels are increasing the land value, resulting in land grabbing by large landowners, drug lords and speculators. Despite the 2016 Victims and Land Restitution Law, armed groups continue to force smallholder families to flee. Many young people are ashamed of their smallholder roots and fall into crime or migrate to the big cities.
The aim is to help smallholders to strengthen their identity and create sustainable income-generating initiatives in rural areas.
In the the last project phase 220 young smallholders, their families and also their communities benefitted from our work.
ACA (Asociación Campesina de Antioquia) has been working since the 1980s to improve smallholders’ living conditions. terre des hommes schweiz has been supporting ACA since 2000.
The project is being carried out in the communities of San Francisco, Argelia and Betulia, south of Medellín . The current project phase covers the years 2021–2024 with an annual budget of CHF 88,000.
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