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From Our Own Correspondent: The endless search for Colombia's missing people

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The endless search for Colombia's missing people

30/10/2021 GMT

BBC World Service - From Our Own Correspondent, The endless search for Colombia's missing people

Stories from Colombia, South Africa, a giant insect farm in France and Italian wardrobes

One mother's 20-year hunt for her daughter in Colombia; voter apathy in South Africa; a giant insect farm hoping to sate global hunger for protein; Italy gets dressed for autumn

Pascale Harter introduces personal insights, analysis and reportage from reporters and writers around the world. 

Colombia's long years of armed struggle are supposed to be over. The largest guerrilla force, the FARC, is signed up to a peace deal with the government it fought for decades. Along with many – but not all – of the country’s rebel armies and paramilitary factions, the FARC has officially demobilised. Its fighters have been told to hang up their guns and go home.  But the ghosts of the long years of violence are still everywhere. Over 8 million people fled their homes when armed groups took control of parts of the country. Many thousands more went missing during the conflict. Their fate may never be known. Mathew Charles heard the story of one woman’s quest to turn the page.

South Africa is holding the sixth round of local elections since the advent of democracy in 1994. Voters must choose the people who will sit on local and city councils – the ones who’re meant to actually deliver the results of the long struggle to end apartheid. After decades of activism and resistance to white minority rule, there is no shortage of political rhetoric and passion in the country. And it would be hard to argue there’s no space for debate – hundreds of different parties have put up candidates. But as Gregory Mthembu Salter’s been hearing – among younger South Africans, the passion for politics may be waning.

How can we feed the world – on a planet with finite resources and a growing number of people? Moreover, more of those people are eating more meat and fish – and those animals in turn need feeding, with protein, to grow. At the moment, soy and fishmeal are the main sources of protein for animal feed – but they have serious costs to the Earth. The demand for soy has been linked to deforestation in South America, while the fishmeal trade contributes to over-fishing in the oceans. So the hunt is on for alternative sources of protein. The use of insects has been permitted in fish feed for years, but the European Union recently decided to allow  them in poultry and pig feed too. Emilie Filou went to visit an ultra-modern farm in France where the animals they raise might be tiny, but the ambitions are very big indeed.

In Italy, dressing correctly for each occasion is taken pretty seriously, as is dressing appropriately for the season. So as summer fades into autumn, it's time to reorganise your wardrobe. This isn't just a bit of light household tidying done at your own pace, but a major task involving considerable forethought. Dany Mitzman admits to being baffled by many Italians' commitment to this special sartorial custom.

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