Integrity, productivity and investment: the main topics that move the conversation of the Colombian agribusiness

Colombia’s agribusiness plays a fundamental role in the country’s economy due to its impact on rural development, contributing 7.1% to the Gross Domestic Product and generating approximately 10.5 million jobs. This supports Colombia’s production potential to position it as a high-quality fruit and vegetable supplier worldwide.

The industry’s relevance is also reflected in the dynamic conversation surrounding it. LLYC, a global Marketing and Corporate Affairs firm, analyzed social conversation over the past 18 months (548,135 mentions) about the agribusiness sector in Colombia and, in its latest report, ‘Agribusiness Development: An Opportunity for Differentiation and Contribution to the Business Sector,’ highlights a 27.11% increase in messages about the sector since President Gustavo Petro took office.

This increase has been driven by a political agenda marked by reactions to appointments in the ministry, the impact of inflation on food prices, Agrarian Reform, and land recovery. The last two topics are recurrent and spike at key moments during the analyzed period.

In contrast to the previous presidential period, the conversation has taken on a more political and social character, leaving aside focuses exclusively centered on strategies to overcome the food and nutritional crisis. The current president is credited with the decrease in the value of the dollar, which has boosted sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and foreign investment, as well as discussions to reduce food and agricultural product prices for low-income households.

Transversally, LLYC identified that the main concerns around agribusiness are: the sector’s integrity and the illicit links of politicians and businessmen, with 29.3% of the mentions, driving almost 25% of the industry’s negative conversation; resource allocation and investment, with 13,500 mentions; productivity, with a special emphasis on inflation and uncertainty about profitability, with 27.2% of the messages; conflicts between Petro’s administration and the private sector have also been highlighted; finally, sustainability is also a relevant front with 4.6% of the mentions.

Key Points for Projecting the Contribution of Agribusiness in Colombia

• Understand the reality surrounding the business: from the political, economic, and social scenarios to successfully manage public positioning.
• Reverse the participation of the private sector and tell its relevance: showing its structural role in sectoral development and its positive impact on society, the environment, and the economy is fundamental.
• Define and implement a good ESG strategy: to drive long-term profitability, mitigate reputational risks, and demonstrate alignment with the social transformation demanded by Colombian society.
• Connect through the narrative: with a story that recognizes audience expectations, understands the sociopolitical reality, and generates empathy. Humanizing the narrative, highlighting the real contribution of organizations in people’s language, helps counteract negative perceptions and build emotional bonds.
• Regain trust to build together and facilitate government management: companies must take the first step to break friction and collaborate in the development of the agribusiness sector. Proposing initiatives that facilitate government management and connect with public interests can boost the country’s growth and improve relations between both sectors.

“A sector like agribusiness, which is gaining relevance in the country’s public conversation and marking clear opportunities for building bridges between the public and private sectors, must be sensitive and understand its sociopolitical scope to contribute significantly to the country’s development. Greater engagement from shared value and a narrative that elevates the private sector’s contribution to agribusiness increases business credibility and trust, enabling better relationship management and resilience during crises,” said Luz Ángela Sánchez, Senior Director of Public Affairs at LLYC.

Access the full publication here.

This translation was done with AI.