Agroecological Farms: A Living Strategy for Caramanta Coffee Growers in Colombia

Abstract

Colombia occupies a prominent position among world coffee producers and exporters. The coffee sector has counted on the support of many institutions; however, this support was not sufficient to effectively face times of crisis for the past twenty years. Some farmers have therefore adopted new strategies such as the substitution or incorporation of new crops. The Caramanta Farmers Association implemented agroecological farms. This system has allowed farmers to diversify their activities and to obtain better trading conditions. This document aims to learn from the Caramanta experience and the comparisons of the conventional and the agroecological system of coffee crops. The research methodology combines bibliographical review and fieldwork. The first chapter introduces some theoretical frameworks on rural development. The second chapter starts the comparative exercise and describes the conventional system. The third chapter analyses the agroecological system. The concluding chapter highlights the importance of a territorial development strategy rather than a sectoral one.