AGROSAVIA strengthened international training in cacao by giving classes in CATIE’s International Cacao Diploma Program at the La Suiza Research Center

Bucaramanga, Santander. April 14, 2026. From April 7 to 9, the facilities of the La Suiza Research Center of AGROSAVIA hosted the in-person sessions of the International Cacao Diploma Program, organized by the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE, for its Spanish acronym). This academic space featured the active participation of researchers from the La Suiza Research Center as lecturers, who shared their knowledge and experience on key topics for the sustainability and competitiveness of cacao cultivation.

This academic activity was integrated with the actions of the KoLFACI-funded project implemented by AGROSAVIA in two municipalities of Santander, which aims to strengthen cacao production systems and promote agroforestry innovation strategies in the territory.

During the three-day event, participants attended two days of keynote lectures and a field visit to a producing farm, where successful agroforestry system implementation experiences were observed. In addition, at the La Suiza Research Center, practical activities were conducted, such as a tasting session and a visit to the chocolate processing plant, where the recognized institutional brand “Theoka” is produced.

Among the lectures delivered, the following topics stood out:

• Design and implementation of agroforestry systems, by researcher Jairo Rojas Molina.
• Development of IPM calendars for AF-Cacao systems, by Yeirme Jaimes.
• Pollination, compatibility, and planting arrangements to maximize productivity, by engineer Genaro Andrés Agudelo.
• Cadmium: implications and alternatives, by Fabricio Carvalho.
• Flavor and science: discovering the sensory quality of cacao, by engineer Lucero Rodríguez.
• Results and lessons learned from the Clima-LoCa project (use of ChocoSAFE), by Mirjam Pullman from the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT.
• Principles and fundamentals of liquor and chocolate tasting (CoEx), by Viviana Medina from CATIE-USDA.

The event included the participation of researchers and representatives from leading national and international institutions such as Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral and Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias of Ecuador, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, and CATIE.

With this collaboration, AGROSAVIA reaffirms its commitment to the generation and transfer of knowledge on cacao, strengthening scientific and technical collaboration among institutions in Latin America to promote innovation, quality, and sustainability of this strategic crop for the region.