News
U.S. Supports National Social-Enterprise Exhibit
August 21, 2009
A group of Colombian peasants, who left illicit crops behind and joined alternative development projects, displayed their productive experiences at the National Social-Enterprise Exhibit at the Hotel Tequendama in Bogota. The farmers are beneficiaries from programs supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Presidency’s Agency for Social Action and International Cooperation (Acción Social). Among those participating are associations of cacao, rubber, and coffee growers as well as ‘panela’ makers, vegetable growers, dairy producers and fish breeders, among others.
Present at the opening of the event were Alternative Development Deputy Director of USAID/Colombia Jason Girard; Colombian Vice-minister of Agriculture Juan Camilo Salazar, and Deputy Director at Accion Social Pablo Ariel Gomez-Martinez.
After eradicating all illegal crops from their lands and recovering their hopes of working the land, over seven thousand families grouped in 15 organizations from various municipalities in Antioquia, Cauca, Huila, Nariño, Santander, southern Bolivar and Tolima Departments, showed how to build a country from its foundations, how to create a enterprise with scope and, moreover, how to make dreams come true. Each delegation of farmers had a stand where they displayed their products, shared their experiences and results, and created future alliances with possible customers and providers. These families represent the country’s ethnic diversity comprised of Peasants, Raizales, Afro-Colombians and Indigenous communities.
This USAID-sponsored event is part of an international cooperation agreement between the governments of Colombia and the United States that promotes licit production and consolidates peace in the country. Through the Area for Municipal-level Alternative Development Program (ADAM), USAID’s Alternative Development Program seeks to strengthen thousands of peasants and producer associations present in 75 municipalities of 12 departments. It provides technical support, strengthens social-enterprising, improves agricultural and cattle-growing practices, and enhances productive infrastructure, trade and clean production.