About the Project

After Strengthening Rural Women-Diaspora-Expert GIZ (I) ,first part of the mission between February and March 2025, and some key changes in the original objectives, our focus was amplified not only to rural, but also urban women of Bello’s Municipality. Furthermore, the targeted population was also extended due to conditions observed on the field during the first part. Now we included staff involved in rural extension from Bello’s Municipality too.

The activities took place during October-November 2025, again in Bello, Municiality of Antioquia , close to Medellín.

Activities

Basic Agricultural Workshop

This workshop included the correct use of fertilizers in connection with soil main physical and chemical characteristics. Everything linked to the crop cycle of different crop products of the region (Avocado,Tree Tomato,etc.) Moreover, in coordination with the Secretary of Bello, six (6) individual compost boxes capable to process 350 liter (8kg/day) of waste were distributed through the Municipality. A workshop was given to support its technical management regarding temperature, pH, and further uses. In summary this first workshop Targeted three specific aspects relevant for producer and technicians involved in Rural development:

• Compost
• Plant Productive Cycle
• Plant Nutrition

FOSS Workshop

An introductory workshop on FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) was giving to the staff of the secretary. These members of the staff are those directly in contact with farmers on rural and urban areas of Bello’s municipality. Our discussions were centered on data management F.A.I.R ( Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles, the convenience of their use, security concerns, and data sovereignty.

Tools under GNU/Linux environment, but also accessible in other platforms, to geo-position and to process information were introduced and used.

Urban Gardening

As the targeted population was extended due to filed work, we were visiting urban gardening projects led by Women inside the community in order to act as a bridge between the different stakeholders. We were able to identified projects on mushroom production, young initiatives like Oro Azul supported also by Fundación Mi Sangre, community gardens inside schools like La Huerta El Trébol, Las Americas. Also we were able to apply for the price Femme de Terre with a project from the community garden Las pomas-La Amarilla

Nursery Visit

A successful workshop-visit to a Commercial Plant Nursery was achieved with women from urban and rural areas identified as leaders of agricultural activities in Bello’s municipality. These woman usually receive the plants, but do not visit the sites were these plants are produced. Our goal was to make them familiar with quality plant material and its importance on production.

Digital Products

As product of the FOSS Workshop,a Geo-referenced map including all the visit made during the mission (2025) and also their visits to rural an urban woman (2024) was created. This map included layers available from the Geographic Institute of Colombia regarding soil characteristics and remained as part of the derivables obtained during the mission.

Hands On - ¡Convite!

On this day, mostly attended by urban woman leading community gardens, we worked directly planting and learning about horticultural crops. This event was held with in the Natural Reserve Piamonte of Bello’s municipality

Farms Market

All the activities conveyed in the integration of different stakeholders from the region to improve their own recognition and potential to work together. This was successfully achieved in a especific Rural Market Day implemented in front of the church of San Félix, in the rural area of Bello, integrating only producers of the region (Men and women). The involvement of the finance team of Bello’s secretary was intentionally included to connect and improve sustainability, in economical terms, of every activity considered. Therefore, this market was the closing event and a important part of the whole activities.

Suggested References

1- To get a deeper idea of about this mission:

2- Strengthening Rural Women-Diaspora-Expert GIZ (I)