In Neiva, the Coopisurco cooperative, founded in October 2023, promotes inclusion for vulnerable groups through an aquaponics project. Led by Manuela Vidal, a violence-displaced woman, the initiative combines plant cultivation and fish farming for sustainable livelihood. With 40 members, they aim for self-sufficiency in 3 to 5 years while educating local youth.
Manuela Vidal, legal representative of Coopisurco, fled Planadas, Tolima, at age 3 due to violence, settling in Neiva's Palmas 2 neighborhood. Her story mirrors that of many Colombian families scarred by displacement. In October 2023, with neighbors and friends, she formalized the multi-active cooperative after years of informal work, targeting caregiver mothers, people with disabilities, single mothers, displaced persons, reintegrated individuals, and youth, including members aged 9 and 14.
The flagship project is aquaponics, a system integrating aquaculture and hydroponics to farm without soil damage. "What we hope with aquaponics is to create that generational turnover for our young children and youth to be environmentally friendly," explained Vidal. After trials and errors, they received training from Jaime Chagüendo in Popayán, grasping the cycle: fish produce nitrites and nitrates that nourish crops like lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and strawberries.
Currently, they produce 2,500 lettuces every 15 days in a borrowed space at Pasaje La Calle Real, selling to friends, Fruvers, and a contact in Bogotá named Leo. "We're not yet self-sustainable; we're very new," admitted Vidal, projecting balance in 3 to 5 years. The cooperative, with members in Neiva, Cali, Restrepo, Soacha, and Bogotá, is 100% self-managed without government aid, hindered by members' profiles.
Beyond sales, they attend fairs like Huila Fest for networking and teach aquaponics and hydroponics at Enrique Olaya Herrera school. "It's a school," said Vidal. Their goal is dignified housing and steady jobs, inviting joins via Facebook, Instagram (@Coopisurco), or www.coopisurco.com.co. "We must love, care for, and cherish our nature because it is the future for us, our children," she concluded.