PRODUCCIÓN AGROALIMENTARIA EN COLOMBIA

This policy brief by Transforma provides recommendations for the recovery of Colombia's agri-food production sector following the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues that the pandemic exacerbated historical vulnerabilities, such as low rural associativity and inefficient resource use, and advocates for a transition toward sustainable production systems, improved rural digitalization, and more inclusive financial mechanisms to ensure long-term food sovereignty and resilience.

• The COVID-19 pandemic intensified pre-existing challenges in Colombia's agricultural sector, particularly the lack of associativity among small and medium producers, which hindered their ability to adapt to market changes. The document recommends strengthening programs like 'Alianzas Productivas' and 'Agricultura por Contrato' to improve coordinated planting and sales.
• Colombia's agricultural productivity is low compared to international benchmarks; in 2013, the country produced only 75% of the output per square kilometer of arable land compared to Pacific Alliance countries and 39% compared to high-middle income countries. Additionally, only 6% of potentially irrigable land is connected to irrigation systems, leaving the sector vulnerable to climate variability.
• The pandemic negatively impacted rural youth, increasing the risk of school dropout and the loss of skilled labor. Only 17% of the more than 2.4 million rural students have access to a computer and the internet, and 71.7% of the occupied rural population earns less than the minimum monthly wage.
• Financial aid provided through Finagro's Special Credit Lines (LEC) saw a 22% increase in demand compared to 2019, but the distribution was uneven. The Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR) noted that approximately 90% of the 'LEC Colombia Agro Produce' resources were captured by large agro-industrialists and commercializers, while small producers accessed only 10%.
• There is a significant risk of over-indebtedness among small producers. By October 2020, 28.5% of Finagro's placements were for portfolio normalization (up 14 percentage points from the previous year), with small producers accounting for 92.8% of these operations.
• The document highlights a critical lack of associativity in the sector; according to the 2014 National Agricultural Census, 73.7% of producers do not belong to any association.
• To support sustainable production, the Ministry of Finance has a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for USD $850 million aimed at enhancing sustainable production.

APA

Uricoechea, Á. S., Ramos, J. L. D., & Morales, N. B. (n.d.). PRODUCCIÓN AGROALIMENTARIA EN COLOMBIA. Transforma. https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/CARTILLA-3-PRODUCCION-AGROALIMENTARIA.pdf

Chicago

Uricoechea, Ángela Solanilla, Jose Luis Díaz Ramos, and Natalia Borrero Morales. PRODUCCIÓN AGROALIMENTARIA EN COLOMBIA. Transforma, n.d. https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/CARTILLA-3-PRODUCCION-AGROALIMENTARIA.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Uricoechea |first1=Ángela Solanilla |last2=Ramos |first2=Jose Luis Díaz |last3=Morales |first3=Natalia Borrero |title=PRODUCCIÓN AGROALIMENTARIA EN COLOMBIA |publisher=Transforma |url=https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/CARTILLA-3-PRODUCCION-AGROALIMENTARIA.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{uricoecheandproduccin, author = {Uricoechea, Ángela Solanilla and Ramos, Jose Luis Díaz and Morales, Natalia Borrero}, title = {{PRODUCCIÓN AGROALIMENTARIA EN COLOMBIA}}, institution = {Transforma}, url = {https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/CARTILLA-3-PRODUCCION-AGROALIMENTARIA.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }