Resilient recovery of rural indigenous communities in the face of the crisis

The document analyzes the vulnerabilities of rural indigenous populations in Mexico and Colombia, specifically regarding health, food security, and economic stability during the COVID-19 pandemic. It details two pilot projects—one in the Sierra Norte de Puebla (Mexico) focusing on productive strengthening and community savings, and another in the Resguardo El Refugio (Colombia) focusing on ancestral knowledge and youth entrepreneurship. The brief argues that resilience is best achieved through decentralized decision-making, intersectional policy design, and the integration of youth and women into leadership roles.

• Indigenous populations in Mexico and Colombia face structural vulnerabilities due to historical discrimination and paternalistic government policies that ignore their worldviews, leading to social marginalization and deficiencies in health and education.
• The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected indigenous communities; in Mexico's Sierra Norte de Puebla, the case fatality rate was 11.8%, more than double the national average of 5.5%.
• Virtual education policies during the pandemic widened the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous populations, as 95.5% of the indigenous population aged 6 to 24 in Colombia lacked internet access according to 2018 census data.
• The pandemic acted as a catalyst for renewed interest in production for self-consumption and local gastronomy, which serves as a strategic mechanism for food security and resilience.
• Community savings funds and financial education in the Sierra Norte de Puebla reduced dependence on high-interest loans and empowered women by providing them with safe spaces for organization and a role in household decision-making.
• Effective resilience policies must be flexible, long-term, and designed by the communities themselves, utilizing an intersectional approach to prioritize the most vulnerable groups, such as indigenous women and youth.

APA

Delalande, L., Génis, N., & Criado, J. (2023). Resilient recovery of rural indigenous communities in the face of the crisis. Transforma. https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/02_police-brief_comunidades-indigenas-rurales_ingles.pdf

Chicago

Delalande, Laure, Néstor Génis, and July Criado. Resilient recovery of rural indigenous communities in the face of the crisis. Transforma, 2023. https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/02_police-brief_comunidades-indigenas-rurales_ingles.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Delalande |first1=Laure |last2=Génis |first2=Néstor |last3=Criado |first3=July |title=Resilient recovery of rural indigenous communities in the face of the crisis |publisher=Transforma |date=2023 |url=https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/02_police-brief_comunidades-indigenas-rurales_ingles.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{delalande2023resilient, author = {Delalande, Laure and Génis, Néstor and Criado, July}, title = {{Resilient recovery of rural indigenous communities in the face of the crisis}}, institution = {Transforma}, year = {2023}, url = {https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/02_police-brief_comunidades-indigenas-rurales_ingles.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }