AGROSAVIA and CENICAÑA strengthen research and technology transfer for the Colombian panela sector

Bogotá, D.C., December 30, 2025. Corporación colombiana de investigación agropecuaria – AGROSAVIA, and the Sugarcane Research Center of Colombia – CENICAÑA, signed a Framework Agreement for Technical and Scientific Cooperation with a five-year term, aimed at continuing to coordinate efforts in research, development, innovation, and technology transfer to strengthen the agricultural sector, with a particular emphasis on the country’s panela agroindustry.

The agreement will enable the joint development of research projects focused on evaluating sugarcane varieties for panela production, establishing a network of seed producers to ensure seed availability and quality, the design of phytosanitary strategies for the integrated management of pests and diseases, as well as the monitoring of pathogens and exotic pests in strategic panela-producing areas.

Likewise, the agreement provides for technical exchanges and the training of researchers, promoting scientific collaboration and strengthening institutional capacities in areas of mutual interest. The initiatives derived from this cooperation framework will be implemented through specific projects approved by a joint Steering Committee, ensuring technical relevance and alignment with the needs of the productive sector and the territories.

According to Miguel Serrano, Executive Director of AGROSAVIA, “this agreement in particular opens the door for us to move forward in a very focused manner in the search for solutions to some current challenges related to sugarcane production for panela, while also allowing us to anticipate the challenges we foresee may arise in phytosanitary terms, in relation to the dynamics associated with climate change, and to find ways to join efforts in the transfer of knowledge and technology that contribute positively to sugarcane production in Colombia.”

For AGROSAVIA, this strategic alliance consolidates its mission to contribute to the technical transformation of Colombian agriculture through the generation and management of knowledge, and for CENICAÑA, it represents an opportunity to expand the impact of its scientific developments for the benefit of small- and medium-sized panela producers, promoting more efficient, sustainable, and competitive production systems.

“This agreement represents a space to strengthen actions in research and technology development, but, above all, in knowledge generation. For years, Cenicaña has assumed the commitment to transfer that knowledge to the panela sector as well; therefore, this historical relationship with AGROSAVIA will help us anticipate the challenges faced by the sector in production-related matters,” stated Freddy Garcés, General Director of Cenicaña.

Through this agreement, both parties reaffirm their commitment to research, technology transfer, and rural development, offering scientific solutions that strengthen the productivity, quality, and sustainability of the panela sugarcane value chain in Colombia.