The earthquake has claimed 290 lives and injured approximately 1,300 people. Thousands are still declared missing. These figures remain provisional, as access to some remote areas is still difficult and communications have not yet been fully restored. The government of Colombia has declared a state of emergency and appealed for international support.
Our team in Colombia and local partner organisations have identified the most severe damage in what is known as the “Coffee Region” (Eje Cafetero). Located in the heart of the Andes, the region is home to many rural communities supported by SWISSAID, particularly in the project “Redes de Semillas“ that supports and strengthens seed networks.
“The earthquake has caused extensive damage to homes, infrastructure and the livelihoods of rural communities,” says Mariana Córdoba, Country Representative of SWISSAID Colombia. The country has been a partner country of SWISSAID for over fifty years. Many affected households are heavily reliant upon smallholder farming. Losing most of their essential belongings, seeds and farming tools threatens their food security and livelihoods.
To ease their plight, SWISSAID is providing 100,000 Swiss francs for emergency aid in the regions of Chocó, Caldas, Risaralda, Valle del Cauca and Quindió. 300 families in hard-to-reach rural areas are intended to benefit from the food parcels and hygiene kits, as well as material and tools for longer-term reconstruction. The interventions are especially aimed at rural women, who play a vital role in the food security and local economy of their communities.
Due to its strong local presence and close collaboration with community seed networks and seed banks, SWISSAID can reach affected communities quickly and directly. Our longstanding partnerships with local organisations help us identify the most vulnerable families and assess their most urgent needs.
These close ties are a key asset since humanitarian assistance remains difficult to access in some remote rural areas and government support has mainly been focused on urban centres. This allows SWISSAID to work closely with communities and local partners while strengthening their capacity to cope with the aftermath of the earthquake and to recover in the long-term.
Image: KEYSTONE / Miguel Angel Lopez
