Abstract
In 1995, Colombian authorities launched a trout-farming program in the Cauca region with a bold aim: to help Indigenous communities build legal livelihoods and loosen the grip of drug cartels on rural areas. Three years later, producers from several communities joined forces to launch APROPESCA, the Association for the Production and Commercialization of Agricultural and Aquaculture Products of Silvia.
The venture initially failed. Members lacked experience, depended heavily on subsidies, and struggled to establish a sustainable market presence. When public support ended, APROPESCA ceased operations.
Yet in 2004, the organization was relaunched, and this time, it succeeded. By 2017, it represented 325 families from three communities, Guambianos, Paeces, and Mestizos, that had not traditionally worked together, and it had become a lasting economic and social institution.