The Center’s projects are aimed at zoning and developing databases for cacao in terms of characteristics such as resistance to limiting diseases, bean quality, yield and self-compatibility. In addition, the National Cocoa Breeding Plan includes elite parental fine cocoas, protocols for developing value-added products for all markets and new cocoa clones, among others.

La Suiza´s main strengths are in the production chains of cocoa, fruit trees, sugarcane for panela , tobacco, plantains, rubber and other agroforestry products. Also, sustainable alternatives are implemented to reduce mite damage during pre-harvest of Tahiti lime. The Center also supports the strategies of the department’s development plan.

Due to all the above, La Suiza, as a Research and Transfer Unit of the country's northeastern region, is of great importance given that 65% of the food security comes from the main peasant economy in this region. Therefore, these conditions require technological intervention actions that favor the recovery and conservation of natural resources, emphasizing agricultural use.

It generates technology for permanent cocoa crops, fine tropical timber, and rubber in agroforestry and fruit systems. This aims to achieve optimum production with minimum environmental impact and maximum producer benefit. The criteria for prioritizing production systems were: 1) Cultivated area, 2) Participation in national production, 3) Production volume and value, 4) Participation in agricultural GDP, 5) Employment generation, 6) Number of families involved, 7) Institutional support, 8) Articulation to Productive Chains, and 9) Link to agro-industry.

Thus, the La Suiza Research Center works in generating, innovating, developing and applying scientific knowledge and technology; linking science and technology to society and the productive sector to address specific constraints; creating and developing mechanisms and incentives that encourage the contribution of the private sector to scientific and technological development; and incorporating students in scientific, technological and outreach activities in order to strengthen their training and institutional capacity in scientific and technological research.

La Suiza’s main productive emphasis is on cocoa and its area of influence extends to the departments of Santander, Norte de Santander, western Boyacá, southern Bolívar and southern Cesar. Located in the Andean region and mountainous subregions, the Hoya del Río Suárez and Chicamocha watersheds, the Santurbán massif, and some inter-Andean valleys. Due to their geographical location, these areas become the central axis in the union between the country's interior, the Caribbean ports, and the exit of Venezuela towards the Pacific Ocean.

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Director

• Diego Alejandro Zárate Caicedo

• (+57) 60 1 9144677, Ext. 2711
• dzarate@agrosavia.co
• View profile

Biologist from the Industrial University of Santander, Colombia, M.Sc. in Natural Resources from the University of Los Andes, Colombia, and Ph.D. in Ecology and Sustainability from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. In 2014 he became part of AGROSAVIA’s team with the program "It's time to come back.” His work­ as principal researcher—implementing the first royalty project (cocoa)­­—at La Suiza Research Center has been outstanding.

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