ASPROCIG
🌐This community-based organization has operated for over 32 years. The organization explicitly rejects conventional development models in favor of an aesthetics-first approach that prioritizes beauty and harmonious living. Their framework emphasizes collective knowledge construction and views humans as indivisible parts of nature rather than owners of it. They take comprehensive approach to empower younger generations through innovative governance and financial structures.
Bioregional Context
Located in the Caribbean region of Colombia, inland from the coast in Córdoba. Centered around the Sinú River basin, which defines the ecological and cultural boundaries of the region. The area represents a rich ecological zone with diverse landscapes and traditional agricultural areas.
Activities
ABIF Network Development Program
ABIFs are family-based ecological units where each household commits to creating a beautiful, biodiverse living space that integrates cultural and ecological practices. These socio-ecological systems form the building blocks of what ASPROCIG calls a "socioeconomical territory"—their proposal for how life should be organized. The network grows organically through a mentor-based pattern following the Fibonacci sequence. When a family member approaches a friend or neighbor who is already part of ASPROCIG, they learn about the benefits of joining. Established ABIFs provide face-to-face support to help new families set up their systems, ensuring that knowledge is continuously shared and that new families receive dedicated guidance.
Productive Ecological Landscapes
With mentorship from established members and the broader community, each new family designs a productive landscape that meets their food and income needs while regenerating local ecosystems. These spaces integrate agroecology, fishing, and cultural identity into cohesive socio-ecological systems. Participating households receive multiple forms of support: technical assistance, access to established commercialization networks, guidance in developing auto-sustainable livelihoods, and patient capital when financial support is needed.
Urban-Rural Connection Initiative
The Urban-Rural Connection Initiative creates bridges between urban and rural areas by establishing agroecological stores in urban neighborhoods, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas. Products from ABIF units are marketed directly to urban consumers with prices kept accessible, ensuring that quality organic food reaches communities that might otherwise lack access. Consumers participate in educational programs on traditional food preparation, reinforcing culinary heritage, nutritional awareness, and sustainable consumption habits. This helps maintain traditional food knowledge while building urban-rural connections.
Sources
| Type | Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Video | The Bioregional Conversations - Conversation 2 | ↗ |