Colombias rice growers united for sustainable cultivation

Learn the details of the 5th National Rice Growers Census.

The area planted with mechanized rice for 2023 was 589,848 hectares; the largest planted areas were recorded in Casanare, 35% (206,689 ha); Tolima 17.1% (100,589 ha), and Meta 14.7% (86,449 ha).

Bogotá, D. C., ​(@MinAgricultura​). The DANE and Fedearroz, within the framework of the Agricultural Statistics Committee, presented the results of the 5th National Rice Growers Census, aimed at providing strategic and updated statistical information on mechanized rice-producing units (irrigated and mechanized rainfed), and their producers, in Colombia, for the year 2023, in order to strengthen decision-making in economic, social, and environmental areas for the rice sector. 

The Ministry of Agriculture and the Upra participated in the event by presenting the instruments of the Rice Productive Planning (POP)​​ and the Zoning of suitability for commercial mechanized rainfed rice cultivatio​n, scale 1:100,000.​

"The census information is of great importance for any producer. It makes small producers visible and allows them to access information with which they can get an idea of ​​how they stand compared to their environment and how they can be more sustainable, and improve economically, socially, and environmentally, identifying and incorporating some practices that have allowed generating favorable changes to the subsector, such as having technical assistance, using certified seed, understanding the causes of losses generated in the regions, and being able to establish possible management or mitigation measures. It is a tool that allows improving the planning exercise of plantings," explained Claudia Cortes López, general director of Upra.

For his part, Alexander Rodríguez Romero, technical director of Efficient Soil Use and Land Adaptation of Upra, stated: "For UPRA, the census provides information that allows characterizing productive units and producers including technological, environmental, social, and economic aspects, with which policies and differential policy instruments can be oriented to generate a greater impact on the improvement of the quality of life of rural inhabitants, particularly rice growers."

The results of the National Rice Growers Census will allow reviewing aspects such as generational turnover, the possibility of improving access for small producers to different financial instruments, so that they are granted them, providing technical assistance according to their needs, improving marketing channels to facilitate the sale of the product maximizing profit and reducing intermediation; aspects whose knowledge will be key to formulating guidelines that facilitate productive planning and the implementation of the POP.

In turn, the general director of DANE, Piedad Urdinola, stated: "The census covered all existing mechanized rice areas in the country, from which information was obtained on the use and use of soil, ownership of the rice-producing unit, and sociodemographic characteristics of the producer; as well as the area, production, yield, variety, use of certified seed; or at the technological level of rice cultivation, machinery, and the use of technical advice."

Which, Rafael Hernández, manager of Fedearroz, complemented: "Information was collected regarding sources of financing, ownership of crop insurance, and media with which the producer is informed about technological advances in cultivation. The results of harvested area, production, and yield of mechanized rice are presented nationally and for the 23 producing departments."

To conclude, the Vice Minister of Agricultural Affairs, Aura María Duarte, highlighted: "The agricultural traceability policy supports these joint efforts and this synergy between the links related to rice and agricultural products in general; thus, we all handle the same information, the Census, the POP, and the zoning of productive suitability, and all those instruments that help improve the conditions of farmers and rice producers in Colombia."