This publication was produced by the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE), led by Lamia Kamal-Chaoui, Director, as part of the programme of work of the Regional Development Policy Committee (RDPC). This report was prepared by the Regional Development and Multi-level Governance Division (RDG) of the OECD, headed by Dorothée Allain-Dupré.
The report was conducted in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) and the National Planning Department (DNP) of Colombia. Special thanks are due to both Ministers of Agriculture and Rural Development, Cecilia Lopez and Rodolfo Zea Navarro (former), to both Directors of the DNP Jorge Ivan Gonzalez and Alejandra Botero (former) for their support. The Secretariat extends warm thanks to Alvaro Ortega and Angela Burbano from MADR, Fernando Henao, Lorena Prieto, Angelica Solano and Angie Contreras from the DNP and Adriana Mejia, Gloria Alonso and Juan David Saenz from the Colombian delegation to the OECD for the day-to-day co-ordination.
The report was drafted and co-ordinated by Andres Sanabria (Chapters 3, 4 and 6) and co-authored by Fernando Riaza (Chapter 2), Maximilian Reisch and Verena Weber from the OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation (Chapter 4), Marc Bournisien de Valmont (Chapter 4), Lorena Figueiredo from the University of Sao Paulo (Chapter 5) and David Freshwater from University of Kentucky (Chapter 6). The report was supervised by Jose Enrique Garcilazo, Head of the Regional and Rural Policy Unit in CFE. The process that led to the final version of this publication was directed by Nadim Ahmad, Deputy Director of CFE. Contributors from other OECD Secretariat members included Dalila Cervantes-Godoy (OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate), Ana Moreno Monroy, Oscar Huerta Melchor and Eric Gonnard (CFE).
Special thanks are due to the peer reviewers who participated in missions and shared their expertise: Jose Luis Romero, former Chief Advisor of the Minister of Agriculture of Chile and Andrew Forde, Head of the Rural Strategy and Social Enterprise Unit, Department of Rural and Community Development of Ireland. We also extend thanks to Hanna-Mari Kuhmonen (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Finland) and Josefina Montero (Ministry of Agriculture of Chile) for sharing their expertise on national rural policies. The Secretariat also thanks experts who attended and shared their know-how during the workshop on rural policy in Bogotá in February 2022, including Angela Maria Penagos (Andes University), Carlos Cordoba (RIMSP), Felipe Roa-Clavijo (Los Andes University), Juan Jose Perfetti (Fedesarrollo), Michelle Pennella (IFAD), Olga Lucia Acosta (CEPAL) and Santiago Perry (Corporación PBA).
The OECD is also grateful for comments and support received by a number of people and institutions in Colombia, who provided valuable comments during the OECD missions and detailed feedback on the report. They include members of the Agency for Rural Development of Colombia, Agrosavia, Asocaña, Association for Progressive Communications, Asofrucol, Asograsas, ASOTIC, BIAC, Cauca’s Business Union Council, Cauca Regional Government, City Hall and Mayor of Popayan, the Chamber of Commerce of Cauca, the Chamber of Commerce of Dosquebradas, the Communications Regulatory Commission (CRC), Comfamiliar University Foundation, EAFIT, Fedepapa, Fenalco, Fenavi, Fundación Karisma, International Fund for Agricultural Development, Fusa Libre, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Colombia, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies of Colombia, the Ministry of Transport of Colombia, the Ministry of Housing, City and Territory of Colombia, Misak Community, Mucho Colombia, Nasa Community, the National Land Agency of Colombia (ANT), the National Federation of Departments, the Presidencial Council for Stabilization and Consolidation, Risaralda Regional Autonomous Corporation, the National Training Agency (SENA), the Secretary of Competitiveness of Risaralda, the Secretary of Rural Development and Agriculture of Santa Rosa de Cabal, the Secretary of Agriculture of Risaralda, the Secretary of Rural Development of Dosquebradas, the Secretary of Social Development of Bélen de Umbría, the Colombian Farmers’ Association (SAC), University Javeriana Cali, Special Administrative Unit for the Management of Restitution of Dispossessed Lands, Rural Agricultural Planning Unit, and the Open National University.
Lelsie Greenhow co‑ordinated virtual meetings and missions, and Pilar Phillip led the publication process. Eleonore Morena copy-edited and formatted the report.