Touchstone Mine, Colombia: The implementation of fish farms contributes to diversifying the communities’ sources of income. Moreover, the fish farms foster formalisation of the community’s economic activities and has less impact on the environment than the informal agroforestry carried out in the region.

Located within a forest reserve area, the village of El Pescado relies on agroforestry, which is often practised informally or even illegally. In 2022, Touchstone Colombia and Swiss Better Gold initiated an educational project directed towards the children and adults of the El Pescado community. One of the goals was to identify viable entrepreneurial ideas for the diversification of economic activities. As a result, the community decided to initiate fish farming, as fish is one of the most important foods produced and consumed in the region. The demand would provide good possibilities for aspiring fish farmers. 6 families voluntarily inscribed themselves to participate in the project.

This project was implemented through a partnership between Touchstone Colombia and the Municipality of Segovia. The Municipality was in charge of accompanying the construction of the fish farms in the community, providing technical assistance and support the first yield. The capacities, which the participants acquired from the technical expert, will allow the families to repeat the productive cycle in the future. Moreover, the Municipality is supporting the producers in participating at local farmers markets to sell their fish. The success of this project shows that a private-public partnership can achieve very interesting results, and it will serve as an example for future projects between the Municipality, private companies and communities.

Objectives:

• Diversify the families’ income by initiating fish farming activities
• Increase the families’ economic independence by adding to and ensuring parts of their income and alimentation
• Contribute to the formalisation of the communities’ productive activities and sources of income
• Contribute to the farmers’ self-sufficiency through a trainings and technical assistance

Project:

• Supply of the material needed for the construction of the ponds and of the water supply system
• Construction of the 7 fishponds
• Supply of the fry and aliments for the fish
• Technical assistance during 5 months by the Municipality’s expert in agriculture

Project implementation:

The total project amounts to USD 20,422. This project was financed by remaining funds from the 1st Phase of the Educational Project, Development of an Integral Educational Plan, implemented by Touchstone and Swiss Better Gold.

Date of completion:

The fish farms, trainings and the first harvest were concluded in September 2023.

Impacts:

• Social: Improved local economy through introducing a new source of income
• Social: Developped new capacities of the participants for building and maintaining the fish farms
• Social: Enhanced food security for the participating families and the community as a whole