TUI Field to Fork Colombia
On Colombia’s Caribbean coast, the region of Barranquilla is famous for its Carnival, which is part of UNESCO’s list of protected cultural heritage. The region also hosts numerous gastronomic festivals, which showcase rich culinary traditions. However, these festivals often ignore underlying issues in the area like food accessibility and affordability, as well as whether the products are grown in a sustainable way.
TUI Field to Fork Colombia increases sustainable food production through agroecological principles, whilst also building the capacity of local communities in the co-design and management of tourism experiences around agrobiodiversity. It develops marketing strategies and partnerships to highlight the unique qualities of the Barranquilla region, effectively showcasing cultural and culinary heritage to boost the livelihoods of local communities.
In the rural areas around the city of Barranquilla, agrobiodiversity and culinary heritage is often overlooked by visitors, who prefer to stick to the cultural attractions of the region’s main urban centre. Environmental sustainability is also a concern, with limited promotion of ecofriendly practices amongst food producers and a lack of concern about the preservation of local biodiversity.
To increase sustainable agricultural practices in the region, TUI Field Fork Colombia includes a mapping exercise of existing sustainable agri-food initiatives. A cycle of training and multidisciplinary support is also delivered to 160 food producers from local, rural communities on the topic of regenerative farming techniques.
The project also creates an experiential tourist ‘route’ to engage more people in rural tourism, with 75 high school graduates trained and employed as tourist guides. This tourism route connects attractions and localities around the department of Atlantico and is an important way of developing the destination and its attractions and activities around food travel.
500 domestic and international visitors will be able to join the pilot agrotourism experience, which focuses on learning about traditional practices with crops, river navigation, dragon fishing activities as well as preparing and enjoying local dishes. Alliances with 10 organisations in the tourism sector, with local and international travel tourism agencies, ensure that this product is developed to a high-quality and is properly marketed to customers.
Project Partner
Slow Food is a global network of local communities, aiming to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions and counteract the rise of fast-food culture by advocating for good, clean, and fair food for all. The network is made up of chefs, educators, youth, activists, farmers, fishers, members, consumers and academics, all woven together in different ways.
Slow Food’s approach assumes that to avoid environmental collapse and climate change collapse, we need a paradigm shift away from the prevailing industrial food system to diversified sustainable food systems based on the right to food for everyone.
