AGROSAVIA strengthens international cooperation with Japan for the conservation and use of genetic resources

Bogota, Capital District. April 24, 2026. Within the framework of the international agenda led by Colombia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Corporación colombiana de investigación agropecuaria – AGROSAVIA participated in the first joint committee established under the memorandum of cooperation signed between Colombia and Japan in September 2025.

The meeting, held on April 23 and 24 in Bogota, was attended by a high-level delegation from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), consolidating a strategic space for technical dialogue and the coordination of initiatives aimed at sustainable agricultural development.

During the April 23 session, AGROSAVIA’s Executive Director, Miguel Serrano López, presented the projections and opportunities of a strategic project funded by the Government of Japan and led by the FAO, in which the Corporation plays a key role. This initiative will strengthen national capacities in research, conservation, and the use of local genetic resources.

The project titled “Promotion of Innovative Technologies and Management Systems for the Conservation and Use of Local and Traditional Genetic Resources 2026–2030,” will be developed jointly with the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) and aims to promote technological innovation applied to the exploration, evaluation, conservation, and use of genetic resources, with an emphasis on horticultural crops.

AGROSAVIA’s participation focuses on generating scientific knowledge, strengthening germplasm banks, and fostering coordination with international research networks. These actions will help build a solid technical foundation for developing new plant varieties capable of addressing global challenges such as climate change and pest pressures.

With an investment of approximately one million dollars over four years, the project will benefit Colombia in Latin America and Ethiopia in Africa by strengthening national research institutes and promoting cooperation among strategic stakeholders.

AGROSAVIA’s presence in this context reaffirms its commitment to science, innovation, and the sustainability of the agricultural sector, consolidating its role as a regional leader in applied research and as a key partner in international cooperation initiatives that enhance the productivity and resilience of Colombia’s rural sector.