Acciones claves para la activación de un SIAL de la arepa santandereana en el Área Metropolitana de Bucaramanga

Abstract

From the perspective of localized agri-food systems, SIAL, the specific resources of the territories can be revalued and thus promote rural development and territorial management supported by collective action that it triggers. The production of arepa santandereana is a growing practice in the Bucaramanga metropolitan area and, therefore, implies a demand for regional goods and services. In order to formulate actions leading to the activation of a SIAL around the Santander arepa, a mixed methodology with a descriptive approach was used to determine the supply potential of the Bucaramanga metropolitan area for soft yellow corn, the main raw material for this product with strong local roots. It was possible to identify that 71% of the population comes from the Metropolitan area of Bucaramanga, 68% are women, 57% are over 50 years old, 46% have only elementary school, 32% have a high school degree, 18% are technicians or technologists and only 4% have a professional career. The knowledge of arepa making in Santander has been based on family tradition; identifying that the processors interviewed have transmitted their know-how through: 86% by family tradition. The main actions necessary to advance in the articulation of producers and processors determined that it is possible to propose an articulation with the purpose of activating a SIAL, because the transformation has strengths and opportunities that can be potentiated and taken advantage of through a definition and organization of the corn production chain and support from public and private entities that allow starting relationships and links between the activities by the SIAL concentrations and an increase in the sense of territorial anchorage in order to establish improvements in the local, regional and national economic activity.