Colombia: CAR halts potato cultivation in Cogua protected area

The Director General of the CAR, Alfred Ignacio Ballesteros, has reiterated his commitment to strengthen control and surveillance operations by 2025, with a special focus on ecosystems of great environmental relevance. This strategy responds to the current dry season and the continued progress of the agricultural frontier that threatens vital water recharge areas.

A technical and legal team from the CAR’s Sabana Centro regional office carried out a thorough inspection of the site. During this review, it was found that the agricultural activity not only contravened the area’s land use regulations, but also that the use of agrochemicals was affecting the Chical stream. This source of water is essential for the Neusa reservoir, a key infrastructure of the Northern Area.

Liliana Ramírez, director of the  CAR  Sabana Centro region, explained that the use of quicklime to condition the land and the resulting soil degradation are deteriorating the properties of the ecosystem. This not only reduces water storage capacity, but also compromises the forest cover necessary to protect surrounding water sources.

This property, being located within the boundaries of the Protective Forest Reserve Zone, requires strict compliance with environmental regulations, which were not being observed. Current regulations expressly prohibit this type of activity in protected areas.

In response to this situation, CAR reiterates its request to the community and producers in the agricultural and livestock sector to join efforts to preserve the environment. In addition, the entity urges them to collaborate in reporting activities that put fragile ecosystems at risk.