Promoting Women’s Engagement in Environmental Conservation and Revitalising a Traditional Wheat Value Chain

The social and economic situation of families in Socotá (a region in northern Colombia) has become increasingly fragile following the development of coal mining, which has drawn part of the population away from agriculture. In addition to the collateral effects of mining activities—such as alcoholism and prostitution—the conversion of agricultural workers into miners has destabilised the fragile ecosystems of this Andean foothill area and led to a sharp decline in local wheat production, to the point where wheat now has to be imported from the United States. In response, Envol Vert, in partnership with its local partner Agrosolidaria, a local agricultural cooperative, aims to revitalise and feminise currently struggling agricultural value chains (wheat and honey, which already exist but remain underdeveloped), while preserving the environment and rebuilding social cohesion. Fifty farmers will be trained in agroecological practices and supported in developing a sustainable agricultural ecosystem (creation of community nurseries, tree planting to restore watercourses, establishment of cultivation plots, fertilisation and composting techniques, etc.). Revitalising the local agricultural sector will enable women and their families to strengthen their financial autonomy, reduce their dependence on mining-related income, and prioritise environmentally friendly, locally rooted agriculture.