“The threats that we fear most are megaprojects such as hydroelectric dams, mining projects and the deforestation of our territories. For us these are threats, because communities are not consulted about their implementation or the strategies to defend Mother Earth”, said Patricio Pallares, member of Asprocig (Farmers Association for the Community Development of Ciénaga Grande) in an interview with Real World Radio.

Asprocig was the organizer of the Workshop on Community Forest and Territorial Management, which took place on September 16-19 in Lorica, Cordoba department. Real World Radio interviewed Patricio to know more about the activity and the work carried out by his organization.

Patricio told us about the work carried out in the Colombian Caribbean region: “Here in Lorica, peasants, fisherfolk, indigenous people, Afro-descendant people are part of our association; we share the territory and work around forest conservation and agroecology, but not only as a production means, but as a space for life, and this is why we consider that agroecology, as we view it, allows for the coexistence of forests, humans and animals; and everything we produce is done in an “integrated way with the forest”.

“We have a rural proposal that makes us feel that we too can dream and design our own development model, and so we are doing it”, said Patricio during the interview.