AGROSAVIA's La Libertad Research Center delivers rambutan clone R-134 seedlings and Pinto peanut Centauro cover to SENA - Centro Agroindustrial Los Naranjos

Villavicencio, Meta. August 14, 2023. In a joint effort to promote education and sustainable development of the agricultural sector in the Ariari and Orinoquía regions, researchers from the La Libertad Research Center of Agrosavia, led by researcher MSc. Carlos Felipe González and his work team, including Heberth Velásquez, Alfredo Pardo, and Rodrigo Prieto, have carried out a delivery of rambutan seedlings and the Pinto peanut (Arachis pintoi cv Centauro) technological offer for the establishment of one hectare of this species in the Agroindustrial Center - Los Naranjos (SENA).

Rambutan arrived at the La Libertad Research Center through the cooperation agreement between the Corporation and Fundación Hondureña de Investigación Agrícola (FHIA) in 2005, which contemplated the “Introduction and evaluation of exotic fruit trees and other species to the collection orchard of promising tropical fruit trees.” The species was monitored, and the article “Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), Asian fruit tree with potential for Colombia: research progress in the foothills of Meta” was elaborated. Then, from 2021 and through business development, commercial rambutan cultivation was established with the available clones, highlighting the clone R-134 due to its adaptation to the edaphoclimatic conditions of the region. It is worth mentioning that the department of Meta has approximately 150 established hectares, estimating that 40% is in the productive stage. The fruit is highly valued for its quality in national and international markets. The delivery of these seedlings seeks to promote crop diversification and provide new economic opportunities for local farmers, linking them to export markets with greater marketing prospects while contributing to the reconversion of traditional crops that face phytosanitary issues, marketing difficulties, and high production costs.

On the other hand, the Pinto Peanut (Arachis pintoi cv. Centauro) cover is presented as an innovative option to improve essentially the productive capacity of soils through biological nitrogen fixation, the ability to compete with weeds and the contribution of biomass to the agroecosystem. Additionally, this plant offers protection against erosion, higher humidity and aeration in the soil, and, thus, promotes environmentally friendly agroecological practices and increases the resilience of the agricultural sector in the face of possible climatic challenges.

The collaboration between the La Libertad Research Center of AGROSAVIA and SENA is part of some meaningful actions that contribute to the region since it will allow the development of teaching and learning processes aimed at high school graduates, technicians, technologists, extension agents, and entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector. Rambutan seedlings and the Pinto peanut cover will be used as pedagogical tools to strengthen practical and theoretical knowledge, training highly qualified professionals committed to the region's sustainable development aligned with our higher purpose, i.e., transforming the Colombian agricultural sector with the power of knowledge.

Carlos Felipe González, MSc. Researcher of the fruit tree network expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration and stressed that "This type of initiative is essential to build a more resilient and sustainable agriculture in the Ariari and Orinoquia regions. Our objective is to link the experience of the Research Center to train highly qualified agricultural actors who are aware of the importance of protecting and responsibly using natural resources, as well as generating economic sustainability of fruit farms".

The delivery of the Rambutan clone R-134 seedlings and the Pinto peanut cover represents a significant step towards a more promising agricultural future, where education, innovation, and sustainability come together to transform the agricultural sector in the region.