In this call, according to the Ministry of Agriculture in conjunction with Ecopetrol, $16.920 million have been allocated to co-finance 423 rural enterprises, which will benefit more than 4,400 peasant families from 11 departments, including Huila.
Newspaper of Huila, Huila
By: Gloria Camargo
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with Ecopetrol SA has announced an important investment destined to benefit thousands of families in different departments of Colombia. The project, called ‘El Campo Emprende’, has as its main objective to support 4,476 families in the departments of Arauca, Bolívar, Boyacá, Casanare, Cundinamarca, Huila, La Guajira, Meta, Norte de Santander, Putumayo and Santander.
The millionaire investment amounts to $16,920 million, which is being used to co-finance 423 associative rural ventures. It is important to highlight that more than $2.400 million were recently allocated to expand the co-financing of rural enterprises in 33 municipalities by 60 places.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, each beneficiary group in the different regions is receiving resources to co-finance their business ideas. In addition, they will have comprehensive support for up to 15 months, advice for the formalization of organizations and financial education, all in order to strengthen their productive projects.
This project represents a great opportunity for rural families in these regions, as it provides them with financial support and technical resources to develop their businesses. Likewise, the accompaniment and advice provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will contribute to the sustainability and formalization of businesses, thus promoting economic growth in rural areas.
The ‘El Campo Emprende’ initiative seeks to promote the entrepreneurial spirit in rural communities, promoting job creation and sustainable economic development in these regions. In addition, it will contribute to reducing the gap between the countryside and the city, promoting equity and improving the quality of life of rural families.
The beneficiaries
The ‘El Campo Emprende’ project, led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Ecopetrol SA, has managed to benefit thousands of people in different vulnerable groups and rural communities in Colombia. According to the Ministry’s report, as of March 31, support has been provided to a total of 3,128 rural women and 1,731 rural youth, allowing them to generate income, employment, and become agents of transformation of their territories.
In addition, the benefit has been extended to 772 men and women registered in the Single Registry of Victims (RUV), 423 people belonging to indigenous communities and 246 from the Black, Afro-Colombian, Raizal and Palenquera (NARP) population. These actions aim to increase the social, human, physical, financial and natural capital of rural families in extreme poverty in the intervention areas.
The project focuses on improving the living conditions, income and employment of families in situations of extreme poverty in rural areas of the country. To achieve this, associative groups are supported in the execution of Business Plans and undertakings in various areas, such as agricultural production, adaptation or transformation of primary production, production and marketing of handicrafts, rural tourism services, green businesses and other rural services.
This initiative seeks to strengthen the social and economic fabric in rural areas, promoting sustainable development and the empowerment of local communities. By supporting productive diversification and entrepreneurship in these sectors, it seeks to generate a positive impact in reducing poverty and inequality in the countryside.
labor technicians
Within the framework of the ‘El Campo Emprende’ project, scholarships have been awarded to 42 rural women and young people to train as Agricultural Labor Technicians. This was possible thanks to the signing of an agreement with the Fundación Centro Interactivo de Ciencia y Tecnología Agropecuaria (Fundapanaca) to provide training to those interested.
The beneficiaries of these scholarships belong to rural communities, ethnic communities, and victims of violence in the departments of Bolívar, Boyacá, Casanare, Cundinamarca, Huila, Meta, Norte de Santander, Santander, and Putumayo.
During the training cycle, the scholarship holders will acquire knowledge in agronomy, livestock, pig farming, small species, horses, bovines, sustainable tropical dairy, irrigation and drainage, as well as the handling of agricultural machinery. These skills will allow them to strengthen their agricultural and livestock enterprises supported by the ‘El Campo Emprende’ project.
In total, an investment of $668 million was announced for this scholarship initiative. As a result, 269 rural women and young people between the ages of 18 and 28 have benefited so far. In addition to technical agricultural training, they have also received training in leadership tools, critical thinking, teamwork, and assertive communication. This will allow them to become agents of change in their territories, thus contributing to the development and progress of their communities.
By providing these scholarships, the development of technical skills and specialized knowledge is encouraged, which in turn promotes job creation and economic growth in rural Colombia.
In addition to technical training, the development of leadership and communication skills has been emphasized. These scholarships represent an invaluable opportunity for the scholarship recipients, who become agents of change in their territories, contributing to rural development and the progress of their communities.
in the territory
The entity also reported that “the municipalities targeted by the project correspond to targeted territories according to each call, among which are:
- Post-conflict municipalities.
- Municipalities within the framework of the PDET strategy.
- Municipalities within the framework of the ZOMAC strategy.
The project seeks to strengthen associativity processes around productive community enterprises established by groups of at least 11 families in general category groups, at least 9 rural youth in the rural youth category, and at least 9 rural women in the rural women category.
In each public call, categories were created with internal criteria that require a minimum participation of 27% women and 18% youth among the members of each group.
On the subject of Ethnic Communities (Indigenous, NARP and RROM) there are no established percentage criteria, but the Project has focused on territories where these communities settle.
In the case of Huila, the following projects were targeted: (enabled list)
| Municipality | Project |
| Recent | Los Sauces |
| Livestock Las Delicias | |
| Aso citrus La Laguna | |
| Ranchers Campo Dina | |
| Agrocinnamon | |
| Porcicola 3d | |
| The Duchess | |
| neiva | Agricultural Association of La Libertad Alta |
| Dairy The Meeting Laura | |
| Sweet & Crispy | |
| Las Ceibas Eco-tourism and Environmental Agricultural Association | |
| Environmental Association Defenders of the Reserve | |
| Integral Associative Group Yearnings for Peace | |
| yaguará | Yaguareña Square |
| Will 85 | |
| sandy start | |
| Livestock Igua Luz | |
| Poultry La Paz Sandra | |
| The Vilu Anyi Girls | |
| Proagro-La Quesera | |
| eligible list | |
| RECENT | Agro Balconies |
| RECENT | San José Organic Chickens |