Structuring Productive Projects and Educational Programs to Counteract the

Lack of Social, Productive, and Cultural Opportunities in the Rural Sector of

Córdoba, Nariño.

A project proposal presented by

Maria Camila Martinez

David Esteban Botina

Santiago de Cali
Agosto 2024
National University of Colombia

Content Table

Introduction
General and Specific Objectives
Plan of Action
Management Plan
Conclusion
References
Biosketch
10
 INTRODUCTION

"Agriculture is the fertile mother that provides all the raw materials that drive the
arts and commerce." - Manuel Belgrano

Since the dawn of humanity, agriculture has had a direct impact on people's lives,
from a biological perspective. Agriculture is a crucial factor for the survival of
millions of people worldwide, not only in providing sustenance but also in
contributing to the economy.

Every cell in our body comes from a plant or an animal that we consume.
Biologically, as a species, we still depend on the resources provided by Mother
Earth—resources that we inherited thousands of years ago. Everything that the
human race consumes today is derived either from agriculture, livestock, or fishing,
making these vital and necessary resources for human survival (Bula, 2020). Over
the years, a recurring problem in the agricultural sector has become evident and
continues to grow. The lack of well-paying job opportunities is one of the major
issues plaguing most farmers, leading to the displacement and abandonment of
rural communities. Many farmers have opted to leave their lands in search of better
opportunities and employment, aiming to provide a dignified quality of life for their
families.

This reality is not far from what is experienced in Colombia, one of the countries
with the greatest potential for the development of arable land. However, as
mentioned earlier, one of its limitations is the lack of labor due to rural migration
caused by scarce job opportunities in these territories. This is a common
occurrence in the district of Los Arrayanes in the municipality of Córdoba, Nariño.
Another challenge faced by this population is the rising cost of agricultural
inputs.This paper aims to identify the problems faced by the community of Los
Arrayanes in the municipality of Córdoba, Nariño, by proposing a project that will
generate alternatives to provide solutions and support to the community.
 OBJECTIVES

● GENERAL OBJECTIVE
Structure and implement productive agricultural programs through awareness and
the management of public and private resources, based on the needs of the rural
community in the municipality of Córdoba, Nariño.

● SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
- Organize the rural community of the municipality of Córdoba, Nariño, in order to
include and discuss current issues.
- Manage human and economic resources, both public and private, for the
implementation of social inclusion programs.
- Establish channels and productive routes to promote local products in regional
and surrounding markets.
- Promote the reactivation of rural associations in the municipality of Córdoba,
Nariño, by consolidating them into a large association.
 Action Plan

The agricultural sector in the Municipality of Córdoba, like in most of the national
territory, is in crisis. As fertilizer prices rise, the community is forced to reduce their
use, failing to meet the nutritional needs required by each crop, resulting in
decreased production. This leads to local markets being understocked, creating a
cultural issue of product scarcity or price increases due to fluctuations in supply
and demand. Moreover, the predominant agricultural practice in the region is
monoculture. Without associating with other types of crops, the family and rural
economy relies solely on a single income. When production is low, market prices
rise, and markets are not supplied as they used to be. This situation discourages
the population due to high production costs, leading to a lack of investment in
farming. Consequently, this drives migration from rural areas due to the lack of
opportunities, resulting in the displacement of rural families.

Therefore, education is a crucial factor in seeking better opportunities in the

agricultural sector. Education can empower and strengthen those working in
agriculture, as well as new and future entrepreneurs, by advancing towards better
technological alternatives adapted to the community's reality. This approach will
prioritize the preservation of cultural knowledge and values, creating spaces to
provide information from a local perspective. It is important to understand and
analyze the community's thoughts and positions through dialogue and information
exchange between the community and other sectors.

To mitigate the lack of opportunities, five different but interconnected activities are
proposed:

1. Pedagogy in Schools and Colleges: This activity aims to provide attention

during early childhood, which is crucial in developing social consciousness
and fabric, as expressed by Tellez Murcia (2013). Reconstructing the social
fabric is intended to heal the wounds left by violence in the region, initiate
 local efforts, and ultimately enhance the community's own social and cultural
practices.
2. Courses on Crop Rotation: This initiative will gradually aim to achieve
more diverse and profitable harvests in the regional market, such as in
Ipiales and Pasto. These results are expected to drive a slow and steady
transition from industrial agriculture (monoculture and agrochemicals) to a
more ecological approach that does not compromise food quality,
production, or soil conservation. Research by Vélez Vargas (1995) has
shown that crop rotation alters the physical, chemical, and biological
conditions of the soil, resulting in the maintenance or increase of crop yields.
These changes are expected to contribute to a future transition to a green
and circular economy.
3. Identifying Community Problems through Participatory Spaces: This
type of activity seeks to involve the community as agents of change, rather
than as subjects to be changed—something very different and anti-
dialogical, as explained by the great pedagogue Freire (1973). Human
beings are dialogical beings, and through this action, they are committed to
the constant transformation of reality. These dialogical spaces aim to
reconstruct the social fabric and raise community awareness through self-
diagnosis. Finally, the goal is to solve problems while always trying to
reinforce and merge the community's knowledge and traditions with
technical and scientific knowledge. The aforementioned changes will
ultimately impact the strengthening of cultural identity.
4. Encouraging Entrepreneurial Projects or Business Ideas through
Government Programs or Funds: This activity aims to create jobs, provide
community autonomy, and stimulate economic activity and competitiveness.
Once these results are achieved, it is hoped that various actors will come
together to form associations around agriculture, where products are
primarily organic. The community is expected to access programs such as
Fondo Emprender, which aims to fund such projects. The anticipated impact
 is the promotion of businesses with a fully circular and green economy and
the fulfillment of SDG No. 8: promoting decent work and economic growth.

5. Organizing Farmers' Markets: This activity focuses on marketing organic

products and supporting emerging entrepreneurial projects described in the
previous activity. The goal is to generate employment, sustainability, and
community autonomy. Farmers' markets are expected to meet the region's
food needs. In summary, the desired outcome is for the community to
participate in the economy while also ensuring the principles of food
sovereignty through activities such as farmers' markets. These markets
emerge as alternatives to the dominant system (which is filled with
intermediaries, oligopolies, and oligopsonies). This alternative aims to
diversify products and services for self-consumption (Chaparro Africano,
2014; Paola & Romero, 2018). Overall, this implies an impact on the pillars
of a green economy with an emphasis on cultural identity, while also
implicitly advancing the SDGs of promoting decent work and economic
growth.
Plan De Gestión

Year Estimated time Activities Responsible.(s)

2024 3 meses Pedagogy in schools Professionals in

and colleges: this charge
activity will be carried
out in order to
provide attention in
the early years of
childhood, which are
crucial in the
development of a
conscience and a
social fabric.

2025 2 months Courses on crop Professionals in

rotation: this exercise charge
will gradually seek to
achieve more diverse
and profitable crops
in the regional market
such as in Ipiales and
Pasto.

2025 3 months Defining community Professionals in

problems through charge and the
participatory spaces: community
by carrying out this benefiting
type of activities, the
community is sought
to participate as
 agents of change and
not as beings that
must be changed.

With these dialogical

spaces, it is hoped to
reconstruct the social
fabric and raise
awareness in the
community through
self-diagnosis.

2025 3 months Encourage Professionals in

entrepreneurial charge,
projects or business associations and
ideas through community
government benefited
programs or funds: It
is expected that this
activity will generate
jobs, give autonomy
to the community and
encourage economic
activity and
competitiveness.
Once these results are
obtained, it is hoped
that different actors
will join together and
form associations
around the
agricultural sector.

2025 3 months Organize farmers' Professionals in

markets: charge, beneficiary
community and
peasant
associations
 CONCLUSIÓN

To conclude, the farming community of the municipality of Córdoba, Nariño, will be

organized with the goal of including and discussing current issues. It is expected
that this will improve interpersonal relationships by forming bonds of trust that
facilitate problem-sharing and problem-solving. The result will be the creation of a
guide for planning crop rotation cycles, reducing extensive monocultures in the
region. This will ensure food security and sovereignty, boosting local commerce
and the marketing of their products.

Additionally, the formation of associations is anticipated to ensure that every

community member participates actively and has access to a decent quality of life,
according to the cultural and social concepts established by the community. This
approach aims to lead the community towards a more prosperous future by
fostering cultural appropriation among younger generations and reducing the
inclination towards migration.

A better distribution of available economic resources is also expected, as reflected

in the teachings and learnings acquired through social inclusion programs. This will
encourage the community to return to agricultural and livestock practices.
Furthermore, increased community income is anticipated to allow for the training
and development of personnel. It is planned that local entrepreneurs and micro-
business owners will strengthen their ventures, creating solid foundations that will
ultimately increase the number of agricultural and livestock workers. As a result, a
reduction in migration for employment and a reintegration of people into their
communities is projected, promoting awareness of the importance of the
agricultural community in sector development.

REFERENCES
Bedoya Vizcaya, J. E. (2020). Oportunidades y debilidades para el campo colombiano.
REVISTA UNIVERSIDAD EAFIT - OPINIÓN.
https://www.eafit.edu.co/investigacion/noticias/Paginas/oportunidades-y-
debilidades-para-el-campo-colombiano.aspx
Bula, A. (2020). Importancia de la agricultura en el desarrollo socio-económico.
https://observatorio.unr.edu.ar/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Importancia-de-la-
 agricultura-en-el-desarrollo-socio-económico.pdf
Chaparro Africano, A. M. (2014). SOSTENIBILIDAD DE LA ECONOMÍA CAMPESINA EN EL
PROCESO MERCADOS CAMPESINOS (COLOMBIA).
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Freire, P. (1973). ¿Extension o Comunicacion? la conciencia en el medio rural (Reimpresa).
Siglo XXI. https://books.google.com.co/books?id=fL-
R4bP4MawC&hl=es&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Giraldo, L. M. (2008). En otro lugar: migracionesy desplazamientos en la
narrativacolombiana. Cuadernos de Literatura1, 13(24), 10–27.
http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=439843024002
Paola, J., & Romero, P. (2018). PRINCIPIOS DE LA SOBERANÍA ALIMENTARIA PUESTOS EN
PRÁCTICA POR LOS ACTORES DE MERCADOS CAMPESINOS, PARA LA CONSTRUCCIÓN
DE SEGURIDAD ALIMENTARIA Y NUTRICIONAL: CASO SIBATÉ (CUNDINAMARCA).
https://repositorio.unal.edu.co/handle/unal/69464
Tellez Murcia, E. I. (2013). Vista de El sentido del tejido social en la construcción de
comunidad. Polisemia, 6(10), 9–23.
https://doi.org/10.26620/uniminuto.polisemia.6.10.2010.9-23
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Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Medellín.
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BIOSKETCH