Contribution of local peasant innovations to the re-configuration of endogenous rural development

Contribución de las innovaciones locales del campesinado en la reconfiguración del desarrollo rural endógeno

In Colombia, Rural Development Institutional programs have made of local agents imperceptible since their trajectories have not been considered in the search for solutions to the problems in their territories. The present work introduces an innovative system to the production of the leaves of the plantain variety ‘Cachaco’ (Musa ABB S). This improvement, which was developed independently by indigenous communities of southern Tolima (Colombia), has been studied in detail throughout the technical, economic and social aspects of the productive and commercial processes of some plantain leaves producing farms. Based on their relation with their natural and socio-cultural environments, these communities have prompted their own process of re-peasantization. This productive innovation improves the life quality of the families involved, ensures their permanence in the territory and favors its cultural appropriation.

Los programas institucionales de Desarrollo Rural en Colombia invisibilizaron a los actores locales, pues no han sido consideradas sus trayectorias para la búsqueda de soluciones a los problemas en sus territorios. Se analiza la innovación productiva de la hoja de plátano ‘Cachaco’ (Musa ABB S) desarrollada autónomamente por comunidades indígenas del sur del Tolima. Fincas productoras de hoja fueron estudiadas profundizando aspectos técnicos, económicos y sociales del proceso productivo y comercial. Las comunidades generaron una experiencia propia de re-campesinización a partir de la relación con su entorno natural y social. La innovación productiva mejora la calidad de vida de las familias, asegura la permanencia y favorece la apropiación cultural del territorio.