Floods, Mines and Conflict: Colombian Pacific Area

• Prize
  Shortlist
• Photographer
  Antonio Cascio, Colombia
• Category
  Americas
• Studio
  The Guardian
• Instagram
  antonio.photografree

Riosucio, Colombia, situated in the Chocó-Darien lowland rainforest, is predominantly inhabited by Afro-Colombian fisher and peasant communities that face multidimensional poverty and hunger.

Extreme weather events, mining and logging are causing flooding and river sedimentation. These factors contribute to food shortages due to crop loss, obstruction of road and water routes, mercury contamination of fish and water.

Chocó is also one of the main regions where armed conflict by illegal groups is directly connected to food insecurity, according to the 2025 Global Report on Food Crisis.

Antonio Cascio is an Italian freelance photojournalist based in Colombia. He works as a photographer stringer for Reuters News Agency and frequently contributes to The Guardian, alongside his journalist and life partner, Natalia Torres Garzón. He focuses his work on environmental justice, marginalised groups and indigenous communities. His photographs have been awarded at the Paris Photo Prize 2023-2024, IPA, BIFA, and EPA. His pictures have been published by The Guardian, Al Jazeera, El País, Mongabay News, Bloomberg, Earth Island, NACLA, Le Monde, CNN, BBC, Amnesty International, and others.

Awards "HONORABLE MENTION AT THE IPA 2025, EDITORIAL, PRESS/ENVIRONMENTAL"

"STATE OF THE WORLD AWARD 2024 AT THE PX3, CURATORIAL SELECTION"

"STATE OF THE WORLD AWARD 2023 AT THE PX3, CURATORIAL SELECTION"

"SILVER PRIZE AT THE PX3 2023, CATEGORY: PRESS / GENERAL NEWS"

"SILVER PRIZE AT THE PX3 2023, CATEGORY: PRESS / POLITICAL"

"HONORABLE MENTION AT IPA 2023 EDITORIAL / PRESS / GENERAL NEWS"

"HONORABLE MENTION AT IPA 2023 EDITORIAL / PRESS / POLITICAL"

"PLATINUM WINNER AT THE EPA 2023, CATEGORY: EDITORIAL / GENERAL NEWS"