The Rescue of "White Gold": Indigenous Farmers in Colombia Recover Cotton Cultivation
With the support from the cooperation between FAO and the governments of Brazil and Colombia, the indigenous Timote Chila family combines ancestral agricultural practices, sustainable techniques, and technology to restore the soil and increase cotton production in Tolima.
Bogotá, October 7, 2024 – In the municipality of Coyaima, in the department of Tolima, in the village of Lomas de Guaguarco, live Eduvin Timote, his wife Alix Chila Yara, and their son Armando Timote Chila, an indigenous family of Pijao ethnicity. They exemplify how knowledge exchange, the adoption of good agricultural practices, and international cooperation can enhance production and improve the quality of life for rural families.
On their farm, located nearly 200 kilometers from the Colombian capital, Bogotá, the Timote Chila family cultivates cotton as a way of reviving an ancestral tradition, where agricultural techniques were passed down from generation to generation, in a time when this crop was considered "white gold."
Since 2017, this family farmer, who also serves as a councilman for the indigenous communities and governor of the Guaguarco Palmarosa indigenous council, decided to join the +Cotton Colombia project, a trilateral South-South cooperation initiative developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), and the Colombia's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR), as part of the Brazil-FAO International Cooperation Programme.
Through joint efforts between FAO and the governments of Brazil and Colombia, Eduvin and Alix converted one hectare of their farm into a Pilot Cultivation Unit (PCU), named Los Braciles. It became a space where ancient agricultural customs were combined with environmentally friendly practices and modern innovations, with trials, implementation, and validation of various techniques and good agricultural practices, along with the use of adapted technologies.
Year after year, the cultivation on the pilot farm transformed and improved. The once-depleted land began to regenerate, and cotton started to grow, covering the entire hectare. Thanks to the technical assistance provided, the Timote Chila family learned how to restore soil quality through cotton cultivation alongside sesame. They also developed good practices for reducing pesticide use through biological pest control.
Production on the one-hectare demonstration plot doubled, increasing from 1.5 ton of cotton seed per hectare in the first planted season (2018) to 3 tons per hectare in the 2021 season and also 3 tons of cotton in 2024. The lessons learned on the pilot plot were also applied to the other eight hectares of their farm, yielding a harvest of more than 20 tons. “Cotton generates jobs for our community members,” said Eduvin.
But beyond the numbers, what truly moves the farmer is the cultural impact of his work with cotton. "I am rescuing our culture," he emphasized, seeing how his work helps preserve the agricultural traditions of the Pijao people, so closely tied to cotton cultivation.
In addition, the family ensured food security by growing corn alongside cotton, and they established a home garden for the family's vegetable consumption, providing food for their household. "Thanks to the project, I now grow without chemicals. We work, for example, with chili, soap, and garlic," the farmer proudly stated.
Ruben Perdomo, FAO field technician in the Tolima-Huila region, explained that homemade products were used to manage and prevent diseases in the plot. “Today, we use plant extracts and products with very low impact on people, bees, and the environment.” They also implemented the use of a rotary seeder, reducing planting costs and increasing production compared to traditional systems.
The cooperation between FAO and the governments of Brazil and Colombia also supported capacity building through technical missions and training, such as field days, organized by the Colombian Agricultural Research Corporation (AGROSAVIA), the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), and the National Learning Service (SENA) of Espinal. These initiatives introduced the Timote Chila family and their community to new practices and technologies.
The project extended its influence to friends and relatives of Eduvin and Alix, who also joined in cotton cultivation, seeing this crop as an opportunity to improve their lives, inspiring their community to plant cotton. For the farmer, the cooperation's support was vital: “It has given our fields and our indigenous people valuable skills,” Eduvin said.
Meanwhile, Alix, always at the forefront of her store, turned her shop into a gathering point for sharing knowledge. The community gathers there to discuss good agricultural practices, new techniques learned, and the challenges of accessing more affordable seeds and dealing with fluctuating cotton market prices.
The family not only improved their production but also their quality of life. Their son is studying at SENA’s agricultural school in Espinal, motivated by the example he has seen in the project, hoping to serve his community. With the income earned, they renovated their home and upgraded their kitchen.
Thanks to South-South cooperation, the ancestral practices of the Pijao people have been revitalized as part of the effort to rescue cotton cultivation from the hands of indigenous communities who have passed this tradition down through generations. With a firm eye on the future, Eduvin and Alix know that the project has planted more than just seeds in them and their community: it has planted the rescue of white gold.