Cartagena del Chairá Boosts the 'Ruta de la Leche' Linking Agriculture, Tourism, and Production

Cartagena del Chairá, in the heart of Colombia’s Caquetá department, has become a pioneer of the so-called Ruta de la Leche, an agricultural corridor that gives visitors an opportunity to learn about milk production while supporting the local farming economy. Despite geographical challenges, the initiative sustains hundreds of farming families.

What the 'Ruta de la Leche' Involves

• Agricultural workers collect fresh milk daily using various means of transportation—carts, motorcycles, trucks, tractors—from remote farms to collection centers in Cartagena del Chairá or nearby municipalities such as San Vicente del Caguán and Florencia.
• This activity generates income while promoting territorial attachment. In a region historically impacted by armed conflict, dairy development is also a form of community resistance.
• Significant challenges are present: deteriorated tertiary roads, high logistical costs, and rainy seasons that cut off access, impacting distribution and product quality.