Colombia: Sowing Peace, One Agribusiness at a Time: Colombian Farmers Reclaim their Land and Livelihoods

Sep 21, 2024 | Laura Quinones
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The sun beats down on the fertile fields of Bolívar, Colombia, where lush green valleys stretch towards the distant Andes mountains. It's a picture of idyllic rural life, but beneath the surface lies a complex and painful past. For decades, this region was ravaged by armed conflict, leaving communities shattered and livelihoods destroyed.

Saray Zúñiga, a proud Palenquera woman, knows the cost of conflict all too well. Palenqueras are women from the San Basilio de Palenque communities, descendants of African slaves who fought for their freedom and established a unique cultural haven. They are known for their vibrant attire and their tradition of selling fruit, preserving a rich heritage that is recognized by UNESCO.

"I was displaced five times; my children grew up in displacement," she says, her voice heavy with the weight of memory. "We in Palenque never thought this could happen, that there would be massacres and rapes. We were persecuted, and many of my friends at the time are not alive today."