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Vol. 9 No. 1 (2026)
Published 2026-11-13
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Agrícola

The minga: a way of life in defense of territory and food sovereignty in the Rural Reserve Area of San Isidro, Pradera, Valle del Cauca

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22490/26653176.11847
José Alexander Lozada Ru´iz Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia image/svg+xml
Martha Isabel Cabrera Otálora Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia image/svg+xml
Reinaldo Giraldo Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia image/svg+xml
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Contextualization: The minga, an ancestral practice of collective work, constitutes a fundamental axis in peasant life and the construction of communal bonds. In the Peasant Reserve Zone of San Isidro, Pradera, Valle del Cauca, this tradition is re-signified as a mechanism for territorial defense and the strengthening of food sovereignty. Its agroecological, spiritual, and ontological dimensions make it a relevant field of research to understand community alternatives to extractivist and capitalist logics.

Knowledge gap: Although the minga has been recognized as a cultural and social practice, there remains a gap in its analysis as a strategy of epistemic resistance and as an integral agroecological proposal. Open questions revolve around how these collective practices contribute to territorial autonomy, social cohesion, and the construction of community identity. This study seeks to address this gap by highlighting the minga as an alternative model of organization and sustainability.

Purpose: The main objective of the study is to systematize the community experience of the minga in San Isidro, emphasizing its contributions to territorial defense, the protection of common goods, and the consolidation of food sovereignty. It aims to show how this practice articulates ancestral knowledge, spirituality, and environmental care, becoming a cultural, political, and ethical pillar.

Methodology: The research was conducted through a systematization of community experiences, collecting testimonies, practices, and collective actions. This approach allowed the identification of concrete initiatives promoted by the community, as well as the values and principles that sustain the minga as a living practice.

Results and conclusions: Findings show that the community has promoted projects such as the community aqueduct, land acquisition for water protection, and environmental education activities. These actions have strengthened social cohesion, reciprocity, and territorial autonomy. It is concluded that the minga is not only a practice of collective work but also a form of epistemic and political resistance that affirms community life, territorial defense, and harmony with nature.

keywords: community work, subsistence agriculture, rural economy, rural development
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How to Cite

Lozada Ru´iz, J. A., Cabrera Otálora, M. I., & Giraldo, R. (2026). The minga: a way of life in defense of territory and food sovereignty in the Rural Reserve Area of San Isidro, Pradera, Valle del Cauca. Agricolae & Habitat, 9(1), 93-105. https://doi.org/10.22490/26653176.11847
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