Environmental crisis, food crisis and resisting fisherpersons. The case of the Magdalena River, Colombia

Abstract

The Magdalena River basin is the main source of food in Colombia. 70% of agricultural output and 40% of inland fishing are produced in its basin. However, the River is facing a complex environmental crisis that affects both the fisheries and fishermen’s territoriality. The river as a source of food is declining. This article aims to present the relation between the environmental crisis of the river and food security at the local and national level, through the situation of the artisanal fisheries and fisherpersons in the Magdalena River. The methodology of the research combines quantitative and qualitative approaches, through descriptive statistics of population and productive surveys, and in-deep interviews with fisherpersons and other strategic actors in different parts of Magdalena’s basin.

Keywords

• Colombia
• Magdalena River
• artisanal fisheries
• food security
• environmental crisis