Colombia

This focus note explores opportunities and emerging models in digital value chain finance. Particularly it looks at new technologies that can break down barriers to delivering financial services to a greater number of smallholder farmers. The authors identify three key use cases for digitizing financial services in agricultural value chains. »

This info note provides an account on gender division of labor in livestock production and household activities in Colombia. Even though men and women undertake the production in the livestock sector jointly, the roles and responsibilities in livestock production and household maintenance are segregated along gender lines. The policy consideration of both men’s and women’s direct and indirect contributions to livestock production is crucial to avoid any unintended climate change policy consequences and ensure successful response to technology adoption. »

The FAO and the INRA undertook a survey of innovative approaches that enable markets to act as incentives in the transition towards sustainable agriculture in developing countries.15 cases from around the world provide insights into how small-scale initiatives that use sustainable production practices are supported by market demand, and create innovations in the institutions that govern sustainable practices and market exchanges. The study concludes with four results on how market based solutions can help with the transition towards sustainable agriculture. »

This brief by Global Canopy Programme and The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) draws on innovative trade-flow modelling and analysis for three key agricultural supply chains in the Amazon region – soy in Brazil, palm oil in Peru and beef in Colombia – alongside multi-stakeholder interviews and group discussions to discuss trade-offs and barriers for implementing more sustainable productive landscapes in the Amazon region. »

This paper by the Inter-American Development Bank, analyzes in detail the market constraints on the development of the agricultural insurance market in Colombia and provides recommendations so that it can fulfill its potential as a risk management tool in the country. Insurance can potentially play an important role in climate change adaptation for rural households in developing countries as part of the overall climate change adaptation strategy. However, agricultural insurance markets have many market failures that inhibit their full development. »

In this article in the Environmental Research Letters, a complementary approach to existing approaches of assessing the sustainability of commodity supply chains is introduced. This approach can help provide actionable information, for example to improve sourcing and production practices, without requiring costly dedicated tracking systems for each individual supply chain. »