Mercados campesinos in Bogotá: intangible heritage and farmer’s economy development in Colombia

Abstract

This paper aims to present Mercados Campesinos (MC) in Bogotá, as marketing channels for selling fresh vegetables, fruits, typical meals, handicrafts, and others goods that recreate the barter fairs that occurred between indigenous groups located in the central region of Colombia, before colonization. Currently, the MCs [organizational model proposed by the Proceso Mercados Campesinos (PMC)], are intercultural spaces of farmers, indigenous people and afro-Colombians, based on the principles of Food Security and Sovereignty, where memories, ancestral knowledge and know-how circulate. We identify and present some of those know-how types that occur at MC. For this purpose, besides written sources (bibliography, legislation, official documents), we resort to interviews based on the Oral History methodology with farmers which have been participating in the MC, analysing how these participants can take ownership of the existing patrimonial policies. We find a process that is applied in Colombia for the cultural manifestation as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, which contains an instrument Called Plan Especial de Salvaguarda (PES) that not only could contribute to the development of the participating communities in the MC, but also to implement effective policies aimed towards the country’s Food Security and Sovereignty.