Gustavo Petro criticized the minister of agriculture's stance on discontinuing rice cultivation, calling it harmful to the Colombian population. He argued that rice was nutritious and that Colombia should move towards food self-sufficiency. He added that a decline in the peso, a mega-drought, and rising food prices could exacerbate hunger. Petro stated that the productivity of rice in the Ibagué plateau was similar to that of the United States. He said he had proposed a "rice route" that would include cheap credit, protective tariffs, and the expansion of rice-growing areas. He also suggested that producers become cooperative owners of mills, as in Zulia, Norte de Santander; promote an agreement with Chinese universities to improve techniques and productivity; build the road between Ayapel, San Marcos, and Magangué; deepen agrarian reform in Magangué and southern Bolívar; and allow water flow in the Mojana. Petro defended increasing the production of cereal foods and proposed replacing extensive livestock farming on 15 million hectares of fertile land with food agriculture led by peasants and small and medium-sized producers. https://t.co/zB0X6wz13i #AgriculturaColombia #SoberaníaAlimentaria #ProducciónDeAlimentos (translated)
