Ibagué, 04/29/2021
There are already about 50 productive projects related to the coffee sector in Tolima, in which about 140 ex-combatants and their families participate, who have cultivated and commercialized 179 thousand kilograms of coffee in the hands of coffee associations and leaders.
Ex-combatants in Tolima contribute to the productive growth of coffee. This department the third largest producer of grain in the country – contributing about 12.8% of the total production of Colombia. Investment in coffee production projects of people in the process of reincorporation is in excess of COP $ 1,485 million, of which COP $ 1,128 million has been managed by the National Government as a sign of commitment to the economic sustainability of this population.
In turn, the Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization (ARN) has carried out a permanent accompaniment to the coffee cultivation, production and commercialization projects in the department of Tolima. Through the National Reincorporation Council (CNR), economic benefits have been approved for the development of 47 productive projects, of which 3 are collective, 44 are individual.
“The “Peace with Legality" policy fostered by President Iván Duque has been promoting the strengthening of coffee production projects led by ex-combatants in the process of reincorporation. Likewise, the Technical Working Group on Coffee created in the department of Tolima has extended its actions towards other territories in tandem with strategic partners in the region. The aim has been to continue supporting the productive projects of our population. The link between the private sector and coffee associations in the reincorporation process has been fundamental, given that they have the ability to support the training and productive development of new coffee growers betting on legality today" – said Andrés Felipe Stapper Segrera, ARN Director General.
To date, more than 179,000 kilograms of coffee have been commercialized in Tolima through different commercial partnerships, some in coordination with the ARN, and strategic partners such as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), with regional coffee growers such as Asociación de Productores Ecológicos de Planadas (ASOPEP) Co-op, National Working Group on Coffee and coffee farmer associations such as Azcafe, and with multinationals that operate in the region such as Lohas Beans.
The three collective production projects are located in Icononzo, Planadas and Dolores, and to date they have achieved important results. For example, in Icononzo – Balconcitos township, la Esperanza and la Georgina, Asociación Agropecuaria Esperanza y Paz “EPZ" of the ETCR La Fila has 13 production units of dry parchment coffee and 7 new ones are planned, grown by 19 people in reincorporation process and their families, who seek to grow high quality coffee with the seal of sustainability and care for the environment. This project had a contribution of COP $ 152 million from the National Government.
In Planadas, the project for the construction and implementation of an agro-industrial plant for threshing, roasting and grinding of parchment coffee under the brand name “El Tercer Acuerdo" was approved for the COMUMARFU cooperative to which 58 people in the process of reincorporation belong. It had a contribution of COP $ 696 million pesos from the National Government.
These advances in the production and commercialization of coffee in the territory show that the implementation of the Peace with Legality policy is a reality, and coffee has become a symbol, not only of reconciliation but also of perseverance for the ex-combatants who laid down their arms and gave themselves a chance to get ahead.
Data of interest
· 726 people are reported in the process of reincorporation in Tolima, and a total of 141 individual and 9 collective productive projects have been approved.
· 156 productive (151 individual and 5 collective) projects related to coffee have been approved at the national level, benefiting 369 Farc-Ep ex-combatants (293 men and 76 women).
· Total investment in coffee projects amounts to COP $ 3,377 million, of which the National Government has contributed COP $ 2,951 million.
· Tolima, Antioquia, Caldas, Cauca and Huila are the five departments where coffee production projects are developed, grown and commercialized by ex-combatants in the process of reincorporation.