For the last fifty years the Colombian farmlands have been the
main stage of the armed conflict. Today their economic and social
development are one of the main topics in the peace agreements. The first
interesting fact about these farmlands is the lack of agricultural use they
have been put to. Only 20% of the farmlands discussed under the peace
agreements are used for agriculture, the rest are vast prairies filled with
very little agricultural use. Given this reality, there is clearly an
enormous opportunity for the Colombian government to put the land to use and
generate jobs, to fuel rural economic growth and to change the status quo
with regards to the vast food imports the country now relies upon.
Throughout Latin America impressive growth rates have been seen after the
end of internal conflicts, such as in El Salvador and Peru where GDP growth
rates of 6.0% and 4.5% were achieved. After four years of complex
negotiations in Habana, Cuba, the Colombian government and the FARC (Fuerzas
Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia) reached a first peace agreement that was presented to the
Colombian people on 1st September 2016. This agreement was then subject to a
popular vote in a plebiscite held on 2nd October 2016, the Plebiscite was
held peacefully and the people of Colombia spoke. The result was a surprise
win for the ‘No’ campaign, which secured slightly over 50% of
the vote. This forced the government to open the negotiations to additional
stakeholders and listen to their concerns and positions. After further
negotiations in Habana, the second agreement was finalized and presented to
all parties on 15th November 2016. This was then subjected to a vote by
parliament on the 24th of November 2016, which successfully passed.
Now the implementation of the agreement has begun. Throughout the first
quarter of 2017 we shall witness what will be the last march of the FARC to
the designated free-arms concentration areas to drop their weapons and
reenter the society. Currently, the chapter of the agreement detailing
changes in the agricultural sector can be simplified into three main
pillars; 1) the inclusion of farmers in agricultural reform, 2) the
integration of different regions and 3) food security. The agreement
determines that a national land fund will be created, with land currently
owned by the government being the primary contributor, but also with land
donations and illegally acquired lands being included. After this, a
national land registry will be established to ensure that all of the land
held in the fund will be correctly and properly registered with the
corresponding tittles for its determined use. The agreement stipulates that
special care will be taken with environmentally protected areas, and that
any land disputes will be handled by the agricultural sector jurisdiction of
interest. It further states that significant investment will be made in
rural areas, including tertiary roads, irrigation systems, electricity
distribution and internet infrastructure. There are provisions stating that
drinking water will be made available to remote communities and that
education and healthcare will be provided in places that were previously not
reachable because of the violence. Programs such as cooperatives, economic
family unity and community solidarity are set to be fomented to support the
commerce of local produce.
The agreement also states that technical and technological assistance will
be provided, such as seed banks, and social security access will be
guaranteed to working rural farmers. Food security programs are set to be
introduced to ensure that there will be no food scarcity in rural farm
areas, aided by local credit applications that will be facilitated. Finally,
the agreement stipulates that focus will be placed on development programs
in areas most affected by violence and poverty. To know more about the peace
process please visit: http://www.acuerdodepaz.gov.co None of the above will
be easy to achieve and the agreement poses significant challenges to the
government and the sector at large. Nevertheless, the agreement presents an
enormous and unique opportunity that the Colombian people must make the most
of. Change starts with our positive attitude and our will to help one
another, and we must strive for the peace that we have desired for
generations. It is up to us, the millennial generation, to unite in an
everlasting and prosperous peace.
