Jorge Valenzuela, president of the Federations of Fruit Producers of Chile, (Fedefruta), an organization that represents almost 30 associations and more than 3000 fruit producers from Atacama in the north, to Chile Chico in the southern zone, visited the Formation Commission of the State of the Constitutional Convention, which was established in the town of Malloa, in the south of the country, to address the issue of rurality and agricultural activity in the Chilean Constitution.

On the occasion, the president of Fedefruta and producer of the area, was able to present the visions and proposals that the fruit industry has collected and investigated in recent months among fruit growers, experts, and members of its 30 regional associations linked to the fruit industry. Fruit.

It was certainly a historical visit that we will publish in detail in the next edition of the BlueMagazine, including the subsequent reactions. We anticipate in this note some of the content discussed and Valenzuela's participation.

Rurality in the new Constitution

To specify the role of fruit growing in the constituent process, Jorge Valenzuela made a long presentation on the state of the activity, its scope, its challenges, and the opportunities for the development of the country that agricultural activity means, in a presentation entitled “ Constitutional recognition of rurality ”.

“Once the constituent process began, we were very motivated from the Federation to see how we could contribute, and we did a job of our team (which I take the opportunity to thank) of lifting with all the associations. It took us many months. We advised each other and did a survey in which we found that there are 3 common denominators among all farmers, which we want to share with you, and that, of course, they have a lot of relationship with the other Commission, which is the one on the environment ”, he explained.

Water, food, environment, nature and rurality

These three common denominators of the fruit world that Valenzuela highlighted are related to water and food security; the environment and renewable natural resources; and finally everything related to rurality.

“We believe that there must be a recognition of the rural world in the Constitution. I see that the conversation of decentralization and regionalization is very urban (…) Chile is an agricultural country, all regions of Chile have agriculture to a greater or lesser degree, and I believe that the rural world does not have the visibility it needs. The rural world has gaps with the urban world, and I believe that if (rurality) is not incorporated, this process of regionalization and decentralization will be lame, ”he assured the Commission firmly.

Regional economy

"What is fruit growing within this rural area? In Chile there are 360.000 hectares of fruit trees and 17.000 fruit farms distributed throughout Chile, of which 11.000 are productive units of less than 10 hectares. We are talking about small producers, with an average of 3 hectares. There are therefore many small producers. They are more or less 80% of the national reality ”, he explained.

“Here's another number, because the numbers are good to look at from all sides. 20% of the average in O`Higgins, Maule and Ñuble, which are agricultural regions, corresponds to direct employment in the field, because here is not all that is the auxiliary industry to the field, such as transport, agribusiness ... no, no, this is direct to the field, and the average employment is 20% ”, he pointed out.

Water security

“We believe that enshrining the right to food is something tremendously important. It is as important as water and the importance of agriculture in food security. Don't forget that agriculture produces food. Agriculture equals food and takes up water and natural resources, climates, etc. so the issue of water security is absolutely linked to food. I comment to you, and you know it, water is the sustenance of the countryside and also of the rural world, but it is also one of our urgencies to talk (…) the issue of water, we believe that it must be addressed within this context of change climate, in a different way, with a priority on food, and as a national and geopolitical issue ”, he comments and claims:

“The State of Chile has 40 agencies that are linked to water, and the owner of the water is the General Water Directorate, and the Ministry of Public Works is the one that has the key and the one that administers it, and it is the least! he cares about the water issue! ”.

Food safety

“As fruit producers we have the responsibility to guarantee food security, that is our job, that is what we do, so we must work so that the importance of rurality is understood in this context. Farmers of all sizes, as well as all rural inhabitants, are part of civil society, so we want the Constitution to represent all of us, ”he emphasized in front of the members of the Commission.

It was a solid presentation from the Fedefruta leader. Then there were dozens of questions from the members of the Commission, which he answered in a precise and forceful way, providing more proposals and more content regarding the strategic importance of the fruit world and the constitutional recognition of rurality.

We reiterate that the full report on the participation of Valenzuela and other representatives and organizations of agriculture in the Chilean constitutional process will be published in full in the next edition of the BlueMagazine.