Agricultural Transformation Strategies: Territorial Competitiveness in Relation to the Logistics Hub of Puerto Antioquia

This working document focuses on the main need identified in the development plans of the municipalities in the Northern subregion of Antioquia: the transformation and productivity of the agricultural sector. This is achieved through a documentary analysis of the 2024-2027 government plans, within the framework of the opportunities that will arise from the establishment of Puerto Antioquia as an export hub. The study analyzes the possibility of economic reconfiguration in Northern Antioquia, taking into account the current agricultural production dynamics in each of the seventeen municipalities.

The methodology was based on a documentary review of articles from research published in the last five years and on the development plans of each municipality. The strategic transition from subsistence farming models to export-oriented value chains is evident. Furthermore, the following are recognized as cross-cutting themes: associativity, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) quality certification, and logistics infrastructure for collection. The results suggest that the territorial competitiveness of these municipalities depends on their ability to integrate primary production with agro-industrial processes that meet global market standards, leveraging the reduced logistics costs offered by the new access to the sea through the Urabá region of Antioquia as a key competitive advantage. The lack of cooperative associations emerges as a weakness that needs to be addressed in most of the municipalities, given the opportunity it presents to make agricultural producers more competitive, both nationally and internationally.