Colombia debates renaming campesinos as agricultural entrepreneurs

A debate has emerged in Colombia regarding a proposal by Agriculture Minister Indalecio Dangond to replace the term ‘campesino’ (peasant) with ‘small agricultural entrepreneurs’ (pequeños empresarios del campo). The Minister argues that the term ‘campesino’ carries derogatory connotations and that food producers should be viewed as economic actors capable of generating wealth and innovation rather than merely social program beneficiaries.

Critics and rural leaders argue that the change is more than semantic. They contend that the term ‘campesino’ represents a hard-won identity and a constitutional status recognized in Colombia in 2023. Opponents suggest that renaming the population does not address the structural issues facing small producers, such as high input costs, lack of credit, limited technology, and dependence on intermediaries. They emphasize that while a farmer can be an entrepreneur, they should not have to abandon their identity to achieve economic progress.