The growing insecurity in rural areas affects not only the agricultural sector, but also the economy that supports it. The increase in uncertainty and fear has transformed security perception, becoming a generalized feeling among farmers in the country.
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The increase in robberies, kidnappings, blockages and extortion, are the crimes that most affect the farmer, In addition to an increase in the influence of armed groups against the law in the rural territory of Colombia.
According to Jorge Bedoya, president of the Farmers Society of Colombia (SAC) the blockages and extortion are the largest challenges that agriculture has. “Also, in the areas in which the groups on the margin of the law such as dissidents, the ELN and the Gulf Clan are very afraid, the inhabitants are very afraid”, Explained the union leader.
Taking into account the general feeling of the farmer sector, one of the most affected in recent years, is the farmer.
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According to figures from the National Police, analyzed by the Ministry of Defense, the abigeato is the criminal practice that most afflicts livestock. This consists in seizing major species (bovine and equine) or minor (pig, goat or sheep) in order to obtain benefit.
Specifically, the cases of abigeate in Colombia have been decressing since 2017 when 5,135 cases were recorded, until reaching in 2024, 1,224. Analyzing the behavior of what is going, Between January and June, 312 cases of abigeato have been registered, being 62% less than 824 of the same period last year.
Abigeate is the criminal practice that most afflicts livestock.
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On that front, Fernando Murillo, security advisor for Fedegán, said that insecurity in the livestock area affects at least 800,000 citizens who are dedicated to this activity. “The crimes of greatest impact are abigeato, the carneo, the invasion of land, theft to farms, extortion and kidnapping. It does not mean that there are no other crimes that do not affect them, but these are the most impact”He said.
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Based on what was mentioned by the advisor, so far this year 15 kidnappings have been presented to farmers, of which few were already released, by the action of the public force or because they paid the criminals. “There are still some farmers, including a woman, who is kidnapped unfortunately”, He explained.
On the other hand, Murillo stressed that another of the crimes that has affected the livestock region is extortion. However, he said that in that sense there is a sub -registration because the victims, among which are the farmers and the entire population, They do not denounce because there is no real confidence in institutionality and because they do not find a according to the problem either.
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Between January and June, 312 cases of abigeato have been registered, being 62% less than 824 of the same period last year.
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“The vast majority of extortion today are being developed from prisons, but unfortunately or naively, citizens prefer to pay and not report and it is the big mistake we are making”, He mentioned. The advisor of the farmers’ guild also emphasized the perception of security. According to Murillo, today there is a very high sense of insecurity, as well as uncertainty.
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“That is seen in the Ombudsman’s Office. There is greater territorial control, presence in more than 700 municipalities of the 1,112 of the country of groups outside the law. We see that from prisons criminals are extorting, killing and developing citizens displacements”He said. He also added that the situation is more critical every day, so a joint work is proposed to rebuild Colombia’s security.
The situation continues to be worrying for the cane sector.
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The cane is affected
On the other hand, the same insecurity situation has been presented with the country’s cane sector. The president of Asocaña, Claudia Calero, confirmed to this medium that today the situation continues to be worrying.
“In the run of 2025, unfortunately two workers of the Caña Agroindustry and two leaders who were part of the agreement ‘commitment to rural development of the north of Cauca’ have been killed, which we have with minegriciculture and communities,” he said.
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Additionally, Calero indicated that in addition to the murders, in these months of the year some six workers have been injured in different acts of violence between the south of the Valley and the north of Cauca. “This year approximately 150 cases of insecurity have been registered in our operation zone, affecting 60% of the municipalities in which we have a presence”He said.
The union leader assured that the acts of insecurity are not only about figures, but of human lives, families and communities that work for the development of the region. “We have faced attacks on our workers, thefts, harassment by groups outside the law and even situations that scratch in the demential, such as the attack against a school bus of a youth soccer school linked to one of our mills, occurred in May in Rural Zone of Jamundí”He said.
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Likewise, Calero concluded ensuring that it is necessary to make a call and an articulated work between the authorities and justice so that measures that return to the producers are taken. “This is a region and a country that deserves to live in peace”He said.
The National Federation of Oil Palm Cultivators (Fedepalma) rejected the violent events that occurred in the Palmicle Palmagro company.
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Direct attacks on facilities and entrepreneurs
Last week, The National Federation of Oil Palm Cultivators (Fedepalma) rejected the violent events that occurred in the Palmicle Palmagro company. The guild said that the attentive situation against the integrity of the human team and the company’s facilities.
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“We condemn any form of violence or intimidation that puts the life, security and work of those who are part of our agribusiness at risk. No cause justifies the threat to the physical integrity of workers or the use of force as a pressure mechanism”, They said.
Additionally, They clarified that they are committed to the legality, peace and construction of a palmer sector that contributes to the country’s economic, social and environmental development“Under a framework of respect for life and rights.”
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Diana K. Rodríguez T.
Portfolio journalist
