Colombia’s national government is moving toward declaring a state of national emergency in order to swiftly roll out an extraordinary relief package for the country’s agricultural sector, which has been hit hard by the El NiƱo weather pattern. El NiƱo is a recurring climate phenomenon that raises ocean temperatures in the Pacific and typically brings drought and extreme heat to parts of South America, including Colombia.
The proposal is expected to be decided this Monday, September 28, during a Cabinet meeting led by President Abelardo De La Espriella. Officials say the emergency measures are needed to address a perfect storm of problems: the drought conditions caused by El NiƱo, higher labor costs, a sharp drop in the US dollar’s value against the Colombian peso, and new tariff barriers imposed by the United States.
The severity of the crisis came into sharp focus during a legislative oversight hearing before the Senate’s Fifth Committee. Agriculture Minister Indalecio Dangond told lawmakers that several strategically important sectors are running with what he called an “overheated engine,” meaning they are operating well beyond sustainable limits. Among the industries under the most strain are flower growing, sugarcane, coffee, cocoa, palm oil, Hass avocados, passion fruit, lemons, and tilapia farmingāall major export and employment sources for rural Colombia.
Read the full story at El Tiempo for more details on the government’s proposed relief measures.
Source: Gobierno alista 'emergencia nacional' para lanzar salvavidas al agro golpeado por El NiƱo: las peticiones urgentes (eltiempo.com).
Image: CraneStation, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).