AGROSAVIA in Cauca Maintains Physical Headquarters to Continue Strengthening Work in the Region

• From its new location, the Corporation will continue implementing actions that promote agricultural productivity, institutional coordination, and capacity-building within the sector in the department of Cauca through its Popayán Office.

Popayán, Cauca. July 8, 2025. The Colombian Agricultural Research Corporation, AGROSAVIA, announces that its office in the department of Cauca remains operational at a new location: Transversal 9 # 57N 91 (ground floor), on the road to El Bosque – Popayán. This logistical change does not interrupt the ongoing actions in the region, where the Corporation has supported rural, Indigenous, and farming communities through strategic projects that integrate science, innovation, and local knowledge. This new space is available to our partners for meetings, joint work activities, and the distribution of materials of interest to the agricultural sector.

Highlighted actions in the region:

• Agroecology and Native Seeds: Within the framework of the National Seed Plan, support is being provided to local farming and seed custodian systems for heirloom rice, quinoa, and chontaduro, strengthening the capacities of small-scale producers in agroecological practices.
• Rural Youth: In Silvia, San Sebastián, El Tambo, Guapi, Timbiquí, and López de Micay, support is being provided to Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and farming youth in agricultural-focused educational institutions. This includes the adaptation and improvement of training environments, along with the implementation of technology transfer processes in climate-smart agriculture, fish farming, proper management of water and soil resources, beekeeping, aquaponics, poultry farming, agro-industry, and staple crops such as vegetables and cassava.
• Plantain: As part of the linkage plan, we are working in partnership with the Cauca Coffee Growers Committee to strengthen the plantain production system in the department. A demonstration showcase has been established at the Cenicafé experimental station in El Tambo, Cauca, where producers learn about plantain multiplication in tunnels, and a mother garden has been established.
• Quinoa: Thanks to funding from the General System of Royalties and in partnership with the Cauca Government, the first phase of a project was carried out, benefiting over 800 direct participants in the municipalities of Bolívar, La Vega, Silvia, and Totoró. Among these, 42% were women, 50% Indigenous people, and 30% farmers, who took part in training and advisory processes to improve grain production and quality. The project also supported agro-industrial processes by validating and distributing prototypes for drying and threshing.
• Avocado: Through the General System of Royalties and in partnership with the Cauca Government, work was carried out on the integrated management of the Hass variety to improve quality, yield, and productivity. Additionally, a study was conducted to evaluate products and control techniques for managing Phytophthora cinnamomi rot and boring insects in this fruit crop. Moreover, the TECNOHASS technology platform was developed—a free tool to support decision-making regarding the establishment, irrigation, nutrition, and pest management of avocado cultivation.
• Fique: With funding from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, technological foundations were developed for the establishment of a genetic improvement program for the fique crop. Progress was made in developing diagnostic techniques for macana disease in fique and integrating management practices. Two technological solutions are available for this crop: the design and standardization of a protocol for producing high-quality fique seedlings, and crop rehabilitation through pruning (decapitation) practices.

AGROSAVIA reaffirms its commitment to comprehensive rural development, working hand in hand with communities to build a more sustainable, competitive, and inclusive countryside.