Higher Education experiences as a fundamental axis for rural development in the Colombian Catatumbo

Abstract

This research was developed in the regionalization process of the Francisco de Paula Santander Ocaña University led by the Open and Distance Education Unit in Catatumbo. The objective was to recognize Higher Education as a fundamental axis for rural development, through the non-formal education process in the Colombian Catatumbo region. This region has experienced armed conflict and State abandonment. The coca economy and the lack of guarantees for the communities predominate. From a qualitative methodology, and starting from the dialogue of knowledge, different pedagogical proposals were constructed that sought to expand the knowledge of the peasantry in different areas. By 2022, it was possible to strengthen productive and social capacities through 4 diploma courses with 275 participants on topics of rural education, peace building, gender-based violence and agroecology; and 23 short courses with the participation of 659 participants on topics such as organic fertilizers, solid waste management, poultry, good agricultural practices in coffee cultivation, cocoa, avocado, project management, youth leadership, human rights, cattle, management course 4k cameras, agroecology, among others. All these processes were built with the communities, from their production initiatives. We sought and managed to generate productive and peace-building proposals. In these processes, Higher Education has played a key role.