THE AFRICAN PALM IN MARIA LA BAJA. Opportunity or necessity?

Where is M.la Baja?• Maria La Baja is a village

situated in Bolivar Dipartment, in the North land of Colombia, at about 70 km from Cartagena de Indias. Over 90% of people are afro-descendant.

• For its geophysical characteristics M. La Baja is a good place where to cultivate a lot of vegetables.

THE AFRICAN PALM IN MARIA LA BAJA. Opportunity or necessity?

Animosa and the African palm challange in Maria La Baja.

• Animosa is near to Maria La Baja with the sports project coordinated by the Consolata’s fathers.

• During last years the community has faced the farming of the african palm hoping to built a better future.

• Since 2007, as consequence of this socio-economic challange, the Consolata’s missionaries has been organized a forum about this topic.

• Due the phenomenons produced by the globalization process, the members of Animosa have decided to estimulate reflexions and debates on this theme in Italy too.

THE AFRICAN PALM IN MARIA LA BAJA. Opportunity or necessity?

THE AFRICAN PALM IN MARIA LA BAJA. opportunity or necessity?

How the palm came in M. La Baja.

• In 1968, the weak agriarian reform didn’t change the structure of land ownership.The farmers obtained only a little part from the big landowners. For this reason the little farmers started to cultivate rice stimulated by the governement’s credit.

THE AFRICAN PALM IN MARIA LA BAJA. opportunity or necessity?

The rural crisis of the 90’s.

• At the beginning of 90’s a strong crisis struck the rural sector in M. La Baja for:

- the unsustainable mono-intesing farming;

- the disorganization of farmer’s associations without any government help;

- the commercial opening of colombian market.

• In many cases the only chance for the farmers was to sell the lands to pay their debts and founding a better life moving to the city.

THE AFRICAN PALM IN MARIA LA BAJA. opportunity or necessity?

“The Social and Productive Alliance for the Cultivation of African palm in Maria la Baja.”

• This is a governmental plan according with the “Hacienda Las Flores” ent. gr. and the local farmers association.

• For the farmers this plan was the only chance to continue the rural activity on their own lands converting their cultivation for the African palm.

THE AFRICAN PALM IN MARIA LA BAJA. opportunity or necessity?

• This agreement binds the farmers to stay in this market for an average of 20-25 years with “Hacienda Las Flores”. Moreover the company fixed the price of the fruit used to produce biodiesel and gives them the credit for the sowing. So the farmers have permanent incomes but the bigger part of the production costs (as pesticides, machinary and technical assistance) are dumped on their revenues.

THE AFRICAN PALM IN MARIA LA BAJA. opportunity or necessity?

• 28% of fruitful lands in Maria la Baja are used to cultivate the African palm.

• (Source, “Agencia presidencial para la Acción social y la cooperación internacional”. 2009, September.)

• Colombia is the first productor of oil palm in America, fifth in the world (Source, www.fedepalma.org)

THE AFRICAN PALM IN MARIA LA BAJA. opportunity or necessity?

Last considerations.• Considering the unemployment before the start of the “Alliance productive

program”, the farmers have found a stable activity in the palm cultivation.• However it’s clear the production system is more favorable for the monopoly of the

company stood by government policies.• In the long period, the farmers real revenue trends to reduce it because the essential

goods are imported. There are many fields not cultivated for the primary goods .

THE AFRICAN PALM IN MARIA LA BAJA. opportunity or necessity?

Whats challanges for Maria la Baja?• One of the bests challanges for M. la Baja consists

to stop the farmers emigration.•The conflict between guerrillan groups and paramilitaries militias improves this phenomenon. •M. la Baja has the second higer number of hectares, in Bolivar Dipartment, expropriated by the conflict. (4012 ha. Source Un. de los Andes, Bogotà)

THE AFRICAN PALM IN MARIA LA BAJA. opportunity or necessity?

Whats solutions?• Probably a valid solution could be a farming differentiation supported by a fiscal

redistribuition.• However the terror in the population causes political disengagement. In fact the

palm culture often grows under the paramilitary protection .• A stronger presence of national and international independent actors. The work of

ONGs and Human Rights associations, coordinated with the national government, could help the farmers and the people to garantee them a greater respect of human rights and a bigger partecipation at local political life.

• A foreign international cooperation could be based on the development of human dignity for all the victims of racial and social discriminations. In fact the simple grants in strategic sectors are not enough.

THE AFRICAN PALM IN MARIA LA BAJA. opportunity or necessity?

Thanks to:

• Father Giuseppe “Pepe” Svanera, Consolata’s missioner in M. la Baja.

• Members of organizing committe of the second “Foro de Palma y Caña en Maria la Baja”.

• Andrés Orlando Gómez López, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotà.

THE AFRICAN PALM IN MARIA LA BAJA. opportunity or necessity?