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

This policy brief by Transforma examines the construction of community resilience in rural indigenous communities in Mexico and Colombia following the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on two community projects implemented in 2023, the document analyzes the intersectional vulnerabilities of indigenous women and youth, the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic, and strategies for sustainable recovery through food security, financial education, and the recovery of ancestral knowledge.

• Indigenous populations in Mexico and Colombia face systemic vulnerabilities due to historical discrimination and paternalistic government policies that ignore their worldviews, leading to social marginalization and deficiencies in health and education. In Mexico, 68 indigenous peoples comprise 19% of the population, with over 70% in rural areas; in Colombia, 115 indigenous peoples make up 4.4% of the population, with 79% in rural areas.
• The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities, resulting in higher fatality rates in some indigenous areas and severe educational gaps. In Mexico's Sierra Norte de Puebla, the COVID-19 case fatality rate was 11.8%, more than double the national average of 5.5%. Educational access was severely hindered by a lack of technology; for example, 95.5% of the indigenous population in Colombia aged 6 to 24 lacked internet access according to 2018 census data.
• Indigenous women and youth face specific intersectional challenges. Rural indigenous women in Mexico experience systemic discrimination and lack of land ownership, contributing to a poverty level of 73.1% in 2022, compared to 30.2% for non-indigenous men in urban areas. Indigenous youth in Colombia face high inactivity rates (62.5% in 2018) and are vulnerable to recruitment by illegal armed groups or migration to urban centers due to economic necessity.
• Strengthening food security through production for self-consumption is a critical resilience strategy. The pandemic acted as a catalyst for renewed interest in local gastronomy and backyard gardens, which reduce family expenses and improve health. The primary challenge is ensuring this commitment remains permanent beyond the immediate crisis context.
• Community savings funds and financial education can mitigate the economic shocks of crises and empower marginalized groups. In the Sierra Norte de Puebla, the creation of 'cajas' (savings banks) provides lower-interest loans than commercial lenders and creates safe spaces for women, enhancing their role in household decision-making.
• The recovery of ancestral knowledge, such as the 'chagra' (traditional cultivation spaces) in the Colombian Amazon, is essential for cultural survival and economic resilience. Integrating traditional knowledge with modern marketing channels allows communities to produce non-timber fruits and handicrafts for national and international markets, countering the view that indigenous activities are non-productive.
• Effective public policies for community resilience must be flexible, long-term, and led by the communities themselves. Recommendations include delegating decision-making power to indigenous collectives, adopting an intersectional approach to prioritize the most vulnerable, and promoting youth and women's leadership to ensure innovation and sustainability.

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} }