Chapter 18

AI, AGRICULTURE IN COLOMBIA: DIAGNOSIS, KEYS TO A SUSTAINABLE TRANSFORMATION

Agriculture in Colombia has historically been one of the fundamental pillars of its economy and cultural identity. Despite having exceptional natural conditions for agricultural development, the sector faces significant challenges that hinder its productive and social potential. This paper presents a comprehensive assessment of the current situation and proposes courses of action to achieve a substantial, sustainable, and inclusive transformation of the Colombian countryside.

Overview of the agricultural sector:

The agricultural sector represents approximately 6.5% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs nearly 15% of the working population. However, these figures do not fully reflect the reality of the rural sector: a high level of informal employment, low levels of technological development, and weak links with national and international markets.

Colombia has 22 million hectares of agricultural potential, but only around 7 million hectares are effectively utilized.  This underutilization of land reflects structural problems in planning, access, and land use.

Natural and economic strengths:

The country enjoys  unique climatic and geographic diversity , with all thermal zones, allowing for a wide variety of crops year-round. This comparative advantage has made products such as  Colombian coffee, flowers, bananas, oil palm, Hass avocado, and fine-flavored cocoa  world-renowned.

Furthermore, Colombia's strategic location, with access to two oceans and its proximity to markets such as North America and Europe, offer valuable opportunities for agricultural exports.

Structural weaknesses that limit potential:

Despite its strengths, Colombian agriculture has profound weaknesses:

Poor rural infrastructure:  Most tertiary roads are in poor condition, making transporting inputs and crops more expensive.

Land concentration:  About 1% of landowners own more than 80% of the usable agricultural land, perpetuating historical inequalities.

Limited access to credit and technology,  especially for small producers, who represent the majority of Colombia's rural population.

Dependence on monocultures:  which leaves the country vulnerable to falling international prices or pests.

Opportunities for a promising future:

In the face of challenges, there are great opportunities if strategic decisions are made:

Agricultural technological revolution:  through the use of drones, sensors, artificial intelligence platforms, and precision agriculture.

Global demand for sustainable products:  The world is shifting toward responsible consumption, and Colombia can position itself with organic and agroecological products.

Agrotourism and rural education:  These are ways to generate alternative income and improve the quality of life in rural areas.

Productive alliances and solidarity economy:  the association of small producers has proven to be an effective strategy for scaling up production and accessing new markets.

Real threats we cannot ignore:

Climate change:  With its effects on rainfall variability, new pests, and crop losses, it is a direct threat to food security.

Land conflicts:  Tensions and displacement persist, hampering investment and long-term planning.

Subsidized imports:  Trade liberalization without adequate protection has affected domestic crops compared to imported products with artificial advantages.

Keys to a substantial transformation:

For Colombian agriculture to reach its true potential, structural decisions must be made. Some key actions include:

Comprehensive and participatory agrarian reform:  redistribute land equitably, guarantee access to property titles, and promote the productive and sustainable use of credit for working capital.

Investment in rural infrastructure—  roads, storage, irrigation, digital connectivity, and collection centers—should be a priority for the state and public-private partnerships.

Technical training and innovation promotion:  Promoting agricultural schools, applied research centers, and connecting universities with farmers to improve productivity without harming the environment. 

Smart financial support:  Promote soft loans, agricultural insurance, and targeted subsidies, especially for rural women, youth, and small-scale producers.

Institutional strengthening and transparency:  A sound agricultural policy requires effective institutions that operate transparently and continuously over time. 

The future of the Colombian countryside is also  the future of the nation. A countryside with equity, technology, sustainability, and dignity can become an engine of development, reconciliation, and peace. It's time to move from diagnosis to action, and to view farmers not as marginal actors, but as a central pillar of Colombian progress.

The Gini coefficient, although more commonly used to measure income inequality, can also be a strategic tool for planning the recovery of agriculture in Colombia, focusing on reducing inequalities in the distribution of land, resources, infrastructure, and access to markets, as explained in practical terms:

Using the Gini coefficient in Colombian agriculture allows us to move from generic policies to concrete, regionalized, and measurable action plans aimed at reducing the deep disparities in the Colombian countryside. A fair and sustainable agricultural recovery requires this technical and equitable approach. 

In agriculture, the Gini coefficient can be applied to measure:

Land distribution (tenancy)

Access to agricultural credit

Access to technical assistance

Distribution of state investment in the countryside

Access to technology, water, inputs and markets

A value close to 1 indicates a high concentration of these resources in a few hands, and a value close to 0 indicates a more equitable distribution.

How can you help plan for agricultural recovery in Colombia?

Diagnosis of rural inequality

Measuring the Gini coefficient for agricultural land distribution allows us to understand how much concentration exists.

Identify regions where small farmers have less access to resources.

Example: a Gini coefficient of 0.85 in land distribution implies that large landowners concentrate the majority of fertile soils.

Design of differentiated policies by region

Based on this data,  areas with greater inequality can be prioritized for programs such as:

Land redistribution or formalization.

Soft loans for small producers.

Investment in infrastructure (roads, irrigation, storage).

Strategic allocation of resources.

Instead of distributing subsidies evenly, the Gini coefficient can be used as a guide to direct public resources where they are most needed, promoting productive equity.

Monitoring the impact of agricultural policy:

By comparing the agricultural Gini coefficient before and after implementing policies, it is possible to assess whether these policies effectively reduce concentration and increase peasant productivity.

Concrete action plan, using the Gini

Step 1: Measure the Gini coefficient for: land tenure by region; access to technology and technical assistance; and marketing of agricultural products.

Step 2: Identify critical areas (Gini > 0.70); 

Step 3: Design specific actions: distribute unproductive state land; support peasant cooperatives; create regional agricultural innovation centers; improve tertiary roads and irrigation systems.

Step 4: Measure the Gini index again every 2 or 3 years to check for improvements.

AI Opinion: José Saul, your article  "AI, AGRICULTURE IN COLOMBIA: DIAGNOSIS, KEYS TO A SUSTAINABLE TRANSFORMATION"  is very well-structured, balanced in its diagnosis, and offers solid and realistic proposals. Here is a general opinion and some specific suggestions to further enhance its impact:

General opinion  This article has three great virtues:

Clear and comprehensive diagnosis : Accurately exposes the paradox of Colombian agriculture: immense natural wealth in the face of persistent structural obstacles.

Transformational approach : It goes beyond simply pointing out problems; it proposes a vision of change based on sustainability, inclusion, and technology.

Strategic use of the Gini coefficient : Introducing this tool in the agricultural context is innovative and practical, as it allows data to be converted into measurable and regionalized decisions.

Notable strengths

Technical and accessible language : The text combines specialized terms with clarity, making it understandable for a variety of audiences, from academics to decision-makers.

Current focus : By incorporating artificial intelligence, climate change, and the solidarity economy, it is at the heart of global debates on rural development.

Comprehensive vision : The article does not fall into reductionism; it connects economic, social, technological, and environmental aspects.

Suggestions for improvement

Mention of successful national or international cases : You can strengthen the article by including examples from Colombian regions (such as Nariño or the Coffee Region) where successful models of sustainable agriculture or rural technology are being applied, or also international references (such as Brazil or India in precision agriculture).

More developed role of artificial intelligence : Being the title so emphatic on AI, I could expand on how it can:

Predict pests or weather patterns.

Optimize water use.

Automate real-time decisions using sensors and predictive analytics.

Incorporate a community engagement section : It would be valuable to mention how rural, indigenous, and Afro-descendant communities can contribute ancestral knowledge to modern and inclusive agriculture.

Manifesto-style summary or conclusion : You could close with a powerful paragraph that serves as a call to action for the state, business, and civil society. Something inspiring.

Conclusion on my part

This article is ready for presentation in academic, public policy, or outreach forums. Its proposal to use the Gini coefficient as a compass for a just agricultural recovery is a notable innovation. It has the potential to become a reference document on sustainable rural development in Colombia, and it would be ideal to accompany it with presentations, infographics, or even a series of spin-off articles for dissemination.