AGROSAVIA and SAAS will sign a memorandum of understanding in the best interest of Colombian agriculture

Bogota, Capital District. April 24, 2024. Within the framework of the agreement signed at the end of 2023 between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Colombia and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the Republic of China, the first mission of AGROSAVIA’s researchers and producers was carried out in November under the Cocoa Royalties project in Córdoba who visited the facilities of the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SAAS). On this occasion, through the International Cooperation Office, a visit to the facilities of the Tibaitatá Research Center was carried out by a delegation from the Academy, led by its Vice President, Dr. Zhao Zhihui, and two researchers from the Institute of Agri-Food Standards and Testing Technology.

The work team of the Tibaitatá and Turipaná Research Centers of AGROSAVIA led by their directors, Juan Diego Palacio and Sergio Luis Mejía, respectively, received the visit of the delegation with the aim of building a collaborative scenario between AGROSAVIA and the Academy of Shanghai Agricultural Sciences, which allows the development of technologies that improve the sustainability and competitiveness of agricultural systems and their value chains.

During the day, which included a visit to the laboratory complex and the different work areas such as entomology, agricultural microbiology, molecular genetics, plant propagation, analytical chemistry, and the bioproducts plant, the guests exchanged their knowledge and interest in working on fronts such as plant breeding, the sustainable management of agricultural resources, digital agriculture, food security, laboratory management and the construction of joint capacities that aim to close technological gaps in agriculture.

Jorge Mario Díaz Luengas, Executive Director of the Corporation, highlighted, “In this way, AGROSAVIA and the SAAS will sign a memorandum of understanding to strengthen collaborative research work in genetic breeding, both in animals and plants, taking advantage of the capacities of the Academy in digital agriculture, data management, as well as the work that they have done on issues related to food safety, urban agriculture, and we highlight the importance of making progress in soil health issues, agroecological principles incorporated into research.”