CONTRIBUTIONS OF AGROBIODIVERSITY TO THE SUSTAINABILITY OF FAMILY FARMING IN COLOMBIA

Abstract

Background. Family gardens represent spaces that promot the conservation and use of agrobiodiversity, generating welfare and sustainability conditions for rural communities. Objective. This study explores the relationship between biodiversity, agrobiodiversity and family farming economy in rural areas in departments of Caldas (Association of Indigenous and Peasant Producers) and Cundinamarca (Reserve Zone of Cabrera), Colombia. Methodology. Data on farm size, land use, present agrobiodiversity, income generation and self-consumption levels were compiled. The variability in these characteristics is strongly influenced by the size of the farms and by the areas destined for production and conservation. It is noted that smaller farms tend to generate higher agricultural income and self-consumption values per unit of productive area. Conclusions. The article concludes the importance of considering agrobiodiversity as a determinant component for the sustainability of the agro-food system and highlights the fundamental role of family farming in protecting it through its knowledge and traditional systems of use and management. At the end, the authors recommend the promotion of agrobiodiversity in public policies for national food security and sovereignty including its conservation as a criterion in land planning plans.