Fedemaderas denounced that they are not being included in the dialogue on economic reactivation

The National Federation of Wood Industrialists (Fedemaderas) called on the Government, being, according to them, excluded from the calls around the National Agreement to reactivate the country’s economy.

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According to the union, in recent days and led by the Administrative Department of the Presidency of the Republic and several ministerial portfolios, including that of Agriculture, spaces have been advanced for reactivation.

Added to this is the fact that Juan Miguel Vásquez, national executive director of Fedemaderas, has requested for several months audiences with Laura Sarabia and the ministers of Commerce, Luis Carlos Reyes, and Agriculture, Jhenifer Mojica and more recently Martha Carvajalino, without obtaining a response so far.

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“It is difficult to understand how a sectoral network that actively participates in Nature-Based Solutions and therefore in the international bioeconomic model is separated from government priorities for economic recovery.“, they said.

The forestry economy and the transformation of wood products and derivatives represent 1.02% of the GDP, a figure that may be “marginal” compared to other economic sectors such as construction, hydrocarbon exploitation or infrastructure.

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However, It is a sector that has more than 4,200 families and 220,000 direct and indirect jobs. that generate sectoral networks that can be carbon positive due to their renewable, biodegradable, carbon-capturing and circular economy characteristics that conserve their raw material, wood.

Another of the points they make is that since 2023 this union has proposed several programs with social impact, including the launch of Associativity Clusters for promote agroforestry and forestry systems based on associations and cooperatives of farmers and small producers.

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Forest economy

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“It is therefore striking why a sectoral network that contributes to sustainability, captures greenhouse gases, is part of the reindustrialization policy of Conpes 2149 and is a source of economic transformation at a global level thanks to its contribution to renewable energies and sustainable construction, is not of interest to the National Government.”, they detail.

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Finally, iThey insist that Fedemaderas maintains its willingness and dialogue to contribute to economic reactivationalthough they ask to be heard and that the conditions of certainty be maintained in the operations of the business owners, projects and member communities.