The Siona people and AGROSAVIA weave the threads of a better tomorrow: Advancing the PDET productive project in the Buenavista Indigenous Reserve

• Through dialogue and autonomy, the economy and food sovereignty of the Indigenous community in Putumayo are being reactivated.

 

Florencia, Caquetá. July 1, 2025. In a historic milestone for Indigenous self-determination, over 130 members of the Siona people from the Buenavista Indigenous Reserve (Puerto Asís, Putumayo) gathered to define the foundation of their economic and cultural development.Under Agreement 2319 of 2024, signed between the Colombia in Peace Fund (FCP) and the Colombian agricultural research corporation – AGROSAVIA, as part of the project Implementation of productive systems for economic reactivation and food sovereignty in the Buenavista Reserve, the community held a sovereign assembly to shape their productive project, prioritizing four strategic lines:

* Chagra for food security.

* Spiritual chagra and traditional medicine.

* Sugarcane for panela production.

* Cocoa (building on initial proposals developed with ART).

The event, supported by the Agency of Territorial Renewal (ART), began with a harmonization ritual led by Taita Elder Hermógenes, followed by a dialogue space where ancestral authorities -wise elders, taitas, grandparents—knowledge holders, taitas, elders, the Indigenous Guard (Cuiracua), the research team from AGROSAVIA’s Florencia-Costayaco station, and ART Putumayo regional representative Mariela Sarasty—collaborated on a shared vision for the future.

 

Why is this process crucial?

• It complies with Precautionary Measure No. 395 issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to protect the Siona people.

• It strengthens the economic and food sovereignty of the reserve.

• It guarantees meaningful participation, with an Indigenous committee that will ensure respect for community decisions.

According to the Siona People's Safeguard Plan, there are currently no developed areas for chagras or crops that ensure lawful income or contribute to the community’s food security. Looking ahead, the community has an ambitious vision: they aspire to prepare and adapt up to 500 hectares for cultivation across various reserves. However, the shortage of technical and financial resources remains a significant barrier, hindering progress toward implementing sustainable productive systems in the Gonzaya Buenavista Reserve.

“The chagra—a living symbol of their identity—is far more than just arable land. It is a sacred space where ancestral knowledge thrives. Each furrow carries the code of labor; each corner echoes the myths and incantations that weave their tradition. The chagra is the teacher that guides, the portal that connects the people with their roots, the union of spiritual and physical effort” (Acosta et al., 2011).

Within this fertile landscape lie income-generating opportunities rooted in a process of collective dialogue, enabling the Siona people to enhance their livelihoods and move confidently toward a future of dignity and prosperity.

The project’s target population includes Indigenous families living in the rural sector (Gonzaya Buenavista Reserve) of the municipality of Puerto Asís, Putumayo. Regarding age distribution: 29 % are between 1 and 15 years old, 49.3 % between 16 and 40, 10 % between 41 and 50, and 12.4 % are over 51. In terms of education, 65 % are literate with schooling between 3rd and 5th grade of primary education, 25 % have completed lower secondary education or technical training, and only 5 % are illiterate (Source: Gonzaya Buenavista Reserve community).

The launch of this initiative also fulfills commitments made by the Territorial Renewal Agency (ART) and the PATR initiatives of the Territorially Focused Development Program (PDET) in Putumayo, aimed at strengthening the rights, autonomy, and economic and cultural revitalization of the Siona people.

For AGROSAVIA, this initiative represents significant progress in reactivation with an identity-based approach. The integration of ancestral knowledge with technical planning allows the territory to be revitalized while preserving its essence. In this way, Buen Vivir (Living Well) is collectively built, involving all stakeholders in the process.