Colombia Floods: Farmers Face Hunger & Displacement
In Colombia’s Chocó region,farmers face a deepening crisis as food insecurity surges due to devastating floods and mercury contamination. The primary_keyword, hunger, stalks vulnerable communities, with instances of families only eating once a day, as environmental factors destroy crops. This article explores the relentless impact of the secondary_keyword, flooding, on livelihoods, impacting both plantain and cassava harvests in particular. Government programs struggle to offer sufficient aid,underscoring the urgent need for sustainable solutions. News Directory 3 delves deep into the crisis, highlighting the stories of resilience amid these challenges. What steps will be taken to address the core issues plaguing the area? Discover what’s next …
Colombia’s Chocó Region Faces Rising Food insecurity
Updated June 15, 2025
Riosucio, Colombia — Built amid rivers and swamps, the people of Riosucio have long adapted to fluctuating water levels, using wooden walkways to navigate their homes. Though, increasing environmental challenges are overwhelming these adaptations, leading to crop destruction, hunger, and deepening poverty in the Chocó region.
A recent study by the National Administrative Department of Statistics (Dane) and the Food and agriculture Organization (FAO) revealed that food insecurity in Colombia’s rural areas increased in 2024. Chocó experienced the most notable surge, jumping from 18.9% in 2023 to 36.3% in 2024.
Benjamin Palacios, a 76-year-old farmer and community leader, said Salaquí, the main food source for Riosucio, is struggling. He added that rising river levels are damaging land and plantations.
The Salaquí area is home to 12 Afrodescendant and Indigenous communities along the Salaquí River. Dane reports that nearly 40,000 of Riosucio’s 53,000 residents live in rural areas,with about 46,000 identifying as Afrodescendant.Multidimensional poverty affects 71% of the population.
Severe flooding last year exacerbated the crisis. Communities heavily reliant on agriculture, especially plantain and cassava crops, now face food insecurity. Extreme weather has also decimated cocoa plantations.
Berta Lozano, a farmer in Riosucio with nine children, said that sometimes they only eat once a day, or just plantains.
Mercury contamination further threatens the Atrato River basin. A study revealed that 90% of the population had unsafe mercury levels. River sedimentation also reduces fish populations, contributing to food insecurity.
Daniel Palacios Mosquera, legal representative of the artisanal fishers association, Asopescar, said that catches have drastically declined. He said that where he used to catch 2,550 fish with a 150-meter net, now he is lucky to catch 150 fish with a 1,000-meter net.
Evangelina Murillo, who works with the Association of Community Councils and Ethnic-Territorial Organizations of the Lower Atrato, said that fish are scarce and expensive.
Last November, Colombian President Gustavo Petro declared a 12-month state of emergency for Chocó, La Guajira, and Bogotá to address extreme weather. The government also implemented the “zero hunger” program.
Despite these efforts, recent reports indicate that these policies have not prevented food insecurity in Chocó. Residents of Riosucio believe government programs have not addressed the core issue of the river’s condition.
Juan Bautista, a leader of the Coco Arenal community, said that their land is their livelihood and that hunger does not wait.
What’s next
The focus must shift towards addressing the root causes of food insecurity in Chocó, including the remediation of mercury contamination and lasting solutions to mitigate the impact of flooding on agriculture.