Fostering Sustainable Development in Colombia
Having a positive and sustainable impact on their communities is a key responsibility of multinational companies and international investors. In this regard, Farmfolio has created a socially responsible and simple way of bringing investors, landowners, and developers together around agriculture through an innovative asset known as Farmshares. After being plagued by a civil conflict since the 1960s, Nobel Laureate President Juan Manuel Santos took the initiative for negotiations between the government and the FARC guerrillas in 2012. Four years later, a Peace agreement was reached on a definitive ceasefire and demobilizing of the armed groups. Simultaneously, since 2015, Farmfolio’s impact has been committed to economic development in Colombia, through its operations in Ganaderia Pietrasanta (GP).
Fostering Sustainable Development in Colombia
At GP, employees are not only acquiring a valuable skill set and benefitting from a healthy work environment, but also the community as a whole enjoys an enhanced living standard because of the increase in local economic activity. Located along the Caribbean coastal region of Colombia, GP is a 1270-acre majestic tropical landscape. Farmfolio’s GP operations consists of 164 acres of high-quality teak forest that is between 8 and 14 years old, some 370 acres of organic green coconuts from Malayan Dwarf palm trees, and a major intensive grass-fed cattle-raising operation, which rotates an annual average of 4,500 head of cattle, each gaining over 100 kilos of weight while at the farm. Additionally, Farmfolio is close to inaugurating a sawmill for hardwood processing in the regional capital, Monteria.
Overall, GP has significantly contributed to creating a positive economic dynamic in the community in which it operates. As Colombia goes through a key period of social and economic transformation, Farmfolio’s GP is a trendsetting operation that demonstrates the power of targeted foreign investment and market knowledge coupled with the country’s human capital and natural resources. GP currently provides over 40 well-paying jobs and will provide up to 300 jobs by 2020. Likewise, due to GP’s presence and activities, over 150 students K-12 benefit from a better education and because of the farm’s activity in the local economy, hundreds can live in a community that is prospering in peace.
At GP, the farm Operations team reports directly to GP’s CEO and Farmfolio’s Management team. Meanwhile, Farmfolio’s CEO and members from the Management team visit GP on a monthly basis for working meetings with the Operations team. Both Farmfolio’s Management Team and GP’s Operations Team are committed to protecting the interests of our investors and keeping them well informed of all activities. Simultaneously, GP’s Operations team is in charge of the everyday activities at the farm, from pruning the teak plantation and rotating cattle to ensuring proper irrigation and best farming practices. The Operations team is composed of experts and qualified professionals from Colombia and the US in the fields of organics, soil science, meteorology, and forestry.
Currently, Farmfolio’s GP operation in Colombia has 41 permanent and direct employees. Specifically, 37 are fieldworkers formed in technical organic farming practices as well as first aid and workplace safety. Furthermore, over 18 of the employees participate in GP’s softball team and practice regularly at the farm.