​Bogotá, 02/09/2021

• The National Government and the international community strengthen the sustainability of projects and initiatives led by people undergoing reincorporation through technical assistance, monitoring, strengthening of associative models and the Productive Environments Model, among other strategies. 

• More than 210 ex-combatants in the process of reincorporation receive training for work and human development through five models of Productive Environments in Valle del Cauca, Cauca, and Antioquia, as a result of the signing of a $2,478 million agreement between the Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization (ARN) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with the support of the United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) for peace sustainability. 

The implementation of five Productive Environments in areas of motorcycle mechanics, coffee roasting and cupping, livestock, fish farming and agricultural management began under the leadership of the Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization (ARN), and with the technical and financial support of the United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) for Peace Sustainability and the International Organization for Migration (IOM.

The Productive Environments Model is a methodology created in 2014 by the ARN and the IOM, which seeks the development of academic, labor, and psychosocial skills, to contribute to the strengthening of the employability, productivity, and sustainability profile of people in the reintegration and reincorporation process. This training is provided around a specific area for 90 days, according to the interests of the people and the economic demand of the region where it is implemented. 

There will be 210 people in reincorporation who, upon successful completion of the training process, will receive a certification that will accredit them as technicians, assistants, or operators in one of the agricultural, agro-industrial or service production lines. 

“The environments are spaces to build, grow, strengthen, educate and learn wherewith we seek that people in reincorporation technically become business entrepreneurs or manage to be linked to the labor market, favorably impacting their territories and adding joint actions for the construction of a better country, as sought by the policy of Peace with Legality of the government of President Ivan Duque", explained Andrés Felipe Stapper, ARN's Director General. 

In compliance with biosafety protocols, classroom face-to-face training will be carried out under the 'Learning-by-Doing' methodology, which implies simultaneous implementation of what has been learned. These environments also provide psychosocial support that covers aspects of the personal, family, work, and community performance of the ex-combatants, in order to strengthen the social fabric with the community and contribute to reparation and non-repetition. 

“The implementation of these five new Productive Environments is the result of the bonds of trust created through years of joint work between the agencies and stakeholders of the national government, civil society and international cooperation that are part of the reincorporation process. We will continue to strengthen economic inclusion as an essential dimension in this comprehensive process of transition to civilian life through these initiatives", said Ana Durán-Salvatierra, IOM´s Chief of Mission in Colombia. 

The Productive Environments Model has been successfully implemented 55 times during the last seven years (2014-2021), with the support of the private and public sector, under different lines of training and in different areas of the country, benefiting 1,882 people among ex-combatants of the reintegration and reincorporation processes and the surrounding community.

Interesting facts: 

• 31 environments, involving 1,299 people have been implemented in the reincorporation process.
• The government of President Iván Duque has implemented 27 environments between August 2018 and November 2020, for Hass avocado, fish farming, livestock, coffee, motorcycle mechanics, cabinetmaking and carpentry, tourism, clothing, and pig farming.
• There are 12,943 people in the reincorporation process.