Colombia's Agriculture Ministry earmarks $14.2 bn for water infrastructure to mitigate El Niño

The Colombian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, together with the Finagro fund, approved more than $14.2 million to support water‑management infrastructure and equipment for small and medium farmers facing El Niño alerts. The allocation is part of the Incentive for Capitalization of Risk Management (ICGR), which subsidizes up to 40% of the credit balance for eligible projects, with a per‑beneficiary cap of $105.357 million. Targets include irrigation systems, reservoirs, drainage, and high‑efficiency irrigation machinery, especially for women, youth, Afro‑descendant, and conflict‑affected communities. Applicants must request the incentive through the Banco Agrario of Colombia or other authorized financial intermediaries. Minister Martha Carvajalino emphasized that the program aims to protect food production, improve productivity, and ensure food‑security stability during the second half of the year.