Methodology Practicum 1 - Web-Based Data Analysis and GIS Mapping of Food, Water and Environmental Rights

Region: Latin American and Caribbean

Country: Colombia

Population: 48 million

Introduction

In this practical assignment I will focus in Colombia’s and Latin American case in order to compare its situation with others countries in South America as well as South America with others regions around the world. Colombia represents one of the richest countries on the region in terms of natural resources such as water, forest, and climatological conditions for growing food. However, internal barriers such as mining, illegal drugs production and exploitation of resources represent a threat for the sustainable development in the future. There are many factors that must be considered as relevant element in any analysis of Colombia’s development, but due to the practical assignment have to be short I would like to select some threats that are connected with environmental care, poverty and food productions.

Colombia and its indicators

According with Human Development Report Colombia is ranked 98 in the list of Human Development Report and its index is 0.711. The country have been positively improving since 1980 (which were 0.557) to present. In terms of health, for instance, health expenditure (% of GDP) is 6.12 in Colombia, compare with countries such as Peru (4.81) or Venezuela (5.16) we are moving forward but compare with Brazil (8.9) or Uruguay (8) we need to reframe the policies. Being realistic, more health expenditure represents more lives saved. If we analyze another indicator like Antenatal coverage (% of live births) we find that Colombia has 97% cover, above Venezuela (94) and Peru (95) but below Brazil (98.2). Compare with areas

1

such Sub-Saharan, Latin America and Caribbean has been classify as “medium development” with some cases of “high development”, while countries in Sub-Saharan have been classified as “low developments” with some cases in “medium development”.

In education we can analyze and compare data in term of Expenditure on education (% of GDP). While Colombia spend 4.49 and has 93% of adult literacy cover, countries such as Uruguay (2.88%) has 98% of adult literacy cover and others like Brazil (5.82%) has 53% of adult literacy cover. It is mean there is not necessary connection among the money you spend in educational programs and the outcome you get in education. In the same way we can compare Latin American statistics and others regions in the world. For example, the lowest investment in education in the continent is Dominican Republic (2.2%) and the highest is represented by Cuba (12.9%). Comparing these data with Sub-Saharan we can note the significative differences. The lowest investment in the area came from Central African Republic (1.2%) and the highest came from Lesotho (13%).

GDP annual per capita in Colombia is around 12.000 USD; it means we have one of the lowest averages in the region. Chile has almost double GDP than Colombia (22.000USD) and Ecuador’s average is the lowest (9.900 UDS). However, when we analyze indicators associated with distribution and equity we can find the gap among poor and rich and unfair distribution of resources is the constant. Inequity in Income for Colombia is around 42%, one of the largest gap in Latin America compared with Trinidad Y Tobago 21%. There are many factors to explain this gap, but two key factors are the concentration and perpetuation of the power for the last 50 years into only 5 rich families and corruption, which is a Colombia consuming cancer. Distribution of resources in Latin America is one of the more inequities in the world. Sub-Saharan represent in many ways poverty and corruption but checking data from these countries we find that Democratic Republic of

2

Congo has the more inequity in income (31%) but remains below than Colombia. It is one of the fundamental reasons for our underdevelopment.

Reviewing data poverty we notes that in Colombia around 8% of population are living below 1,25$ day and population living in multidimensional poverty is from about 8%. With a total population of 48 million, this data means close to 4 million people living in extremely poverty. Haiti and Honduras represent poorest countries in Latin America with a percentage of population living in poverty above 18%. However, compare with countries in Sub-Sahara such as Nigeria (43% of population living below 1.25$ day) we have to said that programs like MDG contributed in reduction of extremely poverty. I have been comparing Latin American and Sub-Sahara because I wanted to show how similar can be our problems and how the same solution is not always success.

In sum, what can we say about the historical development progress in Colombia? First, we have to recognize a significant progress in areas such education (illiteracy is almost removed), we have one of the largest life expectancy in the area and we are living in a hopeful time waiting the national agreement which are seeking a definitive peace. Compared Colombia and other countries in the area I found certain level of equilibrium (Colombia is always below of the best and above worst). However, we have to recognize a significant progress in programs such as MDG of UN. The following graph summarizes progress in this area:

3

Challenges come from DMG 3 (promote gender equality and empower women) and MDG 6 (combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases). Success come from MDG 1 (eradicate extreme poverty and hanger), MDG 4 (reduce child mortality) and MDG 8 (develop a partnership for development). During the last 2 decades significant progress has been made in these areas, so we have to recognize certain level of progress. About Latin America and the Caribbean UNDP holds that 58 Million people lifted from poverty since 2002, 23.3% Average loss in HDI due to inequality, and “Over the past decade, Latin America and the Caribbean went through its highest economic growth period since the 1960s. This economic boom, along with job creation and some of the world’s most innovative social policies lifted over 90 million people into an emerging middle class. Today, 34.3% of the population is in the middle class (with incomes between $10 a day and $50 a day), and 25.3% are still under the moderate poverty line of PPP $ 4 a day”(UNDP, 2014).

Food, water and environmental issues in Colombia

4

Exploring maps and statistic from FAO we can discover that Colombia has incomparable natural resources such as hydric sources, forest, and adequate climate. Total area in Colombia is 114174.8 (1000 Ha), Agricultural areas are represented by 42617.6 (1000 Ha) and forest area is

60297 (1000 Ha). Climate is sub-

tropical and the use of land can be

analyzed through the

next graph:

Majority part of the land is constituted by forest and permanent meadows and pastures. It represents an opportunity and also a challenge. Exploit the forest in a sustainable way would be the biggest challenge, especially because forest have been losing land due to livestock. In this short analysis I will focus in three web-based mapping platforms taken from FAO page in order to examine factors that can impact sustainable development and how variable some data can be from region to region within a country. The three maps will be Farming System in Colombia, Major Environmental Constrains, and Precipitations.

5

Farming system in Colombia according with FAO maps are divided principally into four kind of areas: a basted forest based in the south, and extensive mixed land in east-llanos, an intensive highland mixed in north Andes, recognized by its largest mountains and amazing climate and land for growing coffee, and coastal plantation and mixes in areas located on west and north of the country. Principal constraint for these forests is mining, and deforestation. During the last few decades the exploitation of Amazonia looking for gold and Coltan have been causing a massive destruction of the environment threating oxygen production, the temperature regulation, and life wild protection.

There are several Major Environmental Constraints in Colombia according with FAO. In Andes area there are severe and very severe land degradation as well as erratic rainfall and cold stress risk. Additionally in cost areas we could have dry areas with low production potential and low soil sustainability. It is a threat for agricultural production which affects not only farmer’s work but also food security in the future.

A regulate Precipitation is fundamental in food production and stabilization of prices and consumers. Colombia as a tropical country has different range of precipitation by area. In Amazonia the precipitation is 3,000 mm/year. In the north part of the country such as Guajira or Atlántico, precipitations are only 400-600 mm/year. These differences are normal but fragiles. If we accelerate deforestation on the south, north areas will suffer extremely dry climate. We are already experiencing climate polarization named “niño” and “niña” phenomenon. This phenomenon is characteristic by intensive rains in some part of the year accompanied with extremely dry stations. The consequences are predictable: livestock lost a lot animal, crops are affected by new pests or usually die by lack of water; rivers become dry killing millions of fishes and food becomes more and more expensive to produce and consume.

6

Food, Water, and Environmental Resources

How poverty can be associated with elements such as water and food? The answer is simple: if we cannot guarantee enough and healthy food and water to a population, this population must be considered living in poverty. I will establish some relation among prevalence of poverty and the ability and capacity of some areas to grow food as well some problems with natural resources in Colombia. The information can be check at on the box and maps more below.

Areas with high percentage of irrigated land and forest based have a prevalence relative low of poverty compared with dryland mixed in the same area. It means water is directly related with the capability of produce food and therefore achieves better quality of live. More water resources mean less poverty. There are several factors that might inhibit the long-term sustainable human development. These are associated with the use of the land, the distribution and use of hydric sources and therefore food production. Global warming is a universal threat that has been affected areas like Amazonia. If we destroy the largest forest in the world (6075655.45343 km) we will destroy the lung of the planet and the sustainable source of oxygen will disappear.

In respect of natural resources Colombia has two fundamental problems: first, mining is under control of multinational companies which exploit the resources without consideration of the environment. Due to the corruption in Government institution, is relatively easy to get a license for exploration without environmental control. In addition, despite the local mining occupies the big percentage of the exploration in Colombia, the majority of this activity is illegal, controlled by criminal groups and drug dealers. The second problem is directly linked with the first, it is the reduction in areas of agriculture due to livestock, mining and the built of hydroelectric dams,

7

fact that threatening the free access to clean water for consuming and the production of food.

Major Farming Systems in Latin America and Caribbean

Farming Systems

Land Area (% of

region)

Agric. Popn.(% of

region)Principal Livelihoods Prevalence of Poverty

Irrigated 10 9 Horticulture, fruit, cattle Low - moderateForest Based 30 9 Subsistence/cattle ranching Low - moderateCoastal Plantation and Mixed

9 17 Export crops/tree crops, fishing, tubers, tourism

Low - extensive, and severe (highly variable)

Intensive Mixed 4 8 Coffee, horticulture, fruit, off-farm work Low (except labourers)

Cereal-Livestock (Campos) 5 6 Rice & livestock Low - moderate

Moist Temperate Mixed-Forest 1 1 Dairy, beef, cereals, forestry, tourism Low

Maize-Beans Mesoamerican) 3 10 Maize, beans, coffee, horticulture,

off-farm work Extensive, and severe

Intensive Highlands Mixed (Northern Andes)

2 3Vegetables, maize, coffee,

cattle/pigs, cereals, potatoes, off-farm work

Low - extensive(especially at high altitudes)

Extensive Mixed (Cerrados & Llanos)

11 9 Livestock, oilseeds, grains, some coffee

Low - moderate (smallholders)

Temperate Mixed (Pampas) 5 6 Livestock, wheat, soybean Low

Dryland Mixed 6 9 Livestock, maize, cassava, wage labour, seasonal migration

Extensive especially drought induced

Extensive Dryland Mixed (Gran Chaco)

3 2 Livestock, cotton, subsistence crops Moderate

High Altitude Mixed (Central Andes)

6 7 Tubers, sheep, grains, llamas, vegetables, off-farm work Extensive and severe

Pastoral 3 1 Sheep, cattle Low - moderate

Sparse (Forest) 1 <1 Sheep, cattle, forest extraction, tourism Low

Urban Based <1 3 Horticulture, dairy, poultry Low - moderateSource: FAO data and expert knowledge.

8

Fig. 1 Major Farming Systems: Latin America and Caribbean

Fig. 2 Environmental Constraints: Latin America and Caribbean

9

Fig.3 Length of Growing Period: Latin America and Caribbean

10

Fig.4 Land Cover: Latin America and Caribbean

11