The Ministry of the Environment presented a project that sets mandatory standards for sustainable avocado production.
The Ministry of Environment made available to citizens the draft resolution that adopts the environmental guidelines mandatory for the country’s authorities, in order to guarantee sustainable avocado production and minimize impacts on ecosystems.
The announcement was made in Ibagué, during the installation of the Interinstitutional Roundtable between the National Government and the communities of Tolima. From there, the Minister of the Environment, Irene Vélez, explained that the measureseeks to harmonize agricultural production with the protection of natural resources, especially water and biodiversity, in the areas where this crop is planned and developed.
You may be interested in:The first Colombian taxi lands in Spain… and it is already rolling through the streets!
The document establishes technical guidelines that must be followed by the Regional Autonomous Corporations, the Sustainable Development Corporations and the urban environmental authorities. These institutions must incorporate the new criteria in the evaluation of permits, concessions and authorizations, as well as strengthen control, monitoring and technical assistance actions for producers.
The central objective of the guidelines is to guide the expansion of avocado cultivation under sustainability principles. According to Ministry figures, In the last ten years the planted area has grown more than 140%, going from 57,826 hectares in 2015 to 139,337 in 2024. This increase, according to the entity, shows the need for tools that make agricultural expansion compatible with environmental conservation.
The process The project formulation included 12 dialogue tables with different social, environmental and productive actors. Social organizations, environmental authorities, representatives of the agricultural sector and territorial entities participated in these spaces, providing input for the final drafting of the document.
The guidelines are conceived as a technical tool for the planning, evaluation and monitoring of projects related to this crop. With them, the Ministry seeks to promote sustainable agricultural practices that reduce impacts on soils and water resources, and that promote the restoration and ecological recovery of producing areas.
More news’; Between fear and hope: displaced people return to Briceño, Antioquia
The draft resolution responds as follows:requests made by social and environmental organizations since 2024 and by the Association of Capital Cities (Asocapitales) in 2022. The initiative is part of the government strategy to strengthen the environmental sustainability of the agricultural sector, especially high-growth commercial crops such as avocado.
Public consultation on the project will be open until November 15, 2020.5. During this period, citizens will be able to review the document and send observations or contributions through the Ministry of Environment’s web portal: www.minambiente.gov.co
Source: Integrated Information System
