AGROSAVIA strengthens technical cooperation between Colombia and Haiti to promote sustainable production systems and

• The Turipaná Research and Technology Transfer Center led the technical coordination of a South–South Cooperation initiative between Colombia and Haiti.
• Through this partnership, the initiative promoted knowledge exchange in cocoa, rice, beans, cassava, yam, and vegetables, strengthening the technical capacities of Haiti's Ministry of Agriculture.
• "Technical cooperation truly fulfills its purpose when knowledge built over years of research reaches local territories and can be adapted to new realities," said Liliana Grandett.

 

Montería, Córdoba. August 14, 2026. The Turipaná Research and Technology Transfer Center led the technical coordination of a South–South Cooperation initiative between Colombia and Haiti that promoted knowledge exchange in cocoa, rice, beans, cassava, yam, and vegetables, strengthening the technical capacities of Haiti's Ministry of Agriculture.

International cooperation continues to consolidate its role as a strategic tool for strengthening countries' capacities to address common challenges such as food security, climate change, and sustainable rural development. In this context, in 2026, the project "Strengthening Technical Capacities through the Exchange of Sustainable Production Systems and Food Security, with an Emphasis on Cocoa: Haiti–Colombia Cooperation" was implemented. The initiative was led and funded by the Presidential Agency for International Cooperation of Colombia (APC Colombia, for its Spanish acronym), with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR), AGROSAVIA, ICA, FEDECACAO, and Haiti's Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development (MARNDR).

As part of this process, AGROSAVIA, through the Turipaná Research and Technology Transfer Center, assumed responsibility for the technical coordination of institutional participation, led the planning of the academic and technical agenda, facilitated coordination among researchers, and integrated the capacities of two other Corporation research centers: La Suiza and Motilonia. This work enabled the consolidation of a multidisciplinary technical portfolio covering plant breeding, genetic resources, agroforestry, phytosanitary management, seed production, postharvest management, specialized laboratories, and rural innovation, in response to the priorities defined by the Government of Haiti.

The knowledge-sharing and mutual-learning initiative included the participation of strategic partners such as FEDECACAO, ICA, FEDEARROZ, CLAYUCA, FEGACESAR, and APROYUZAP, which shared successful experiences in research, agricultural extension, and territorial development for the production systems prioritized by Haiti.

 

A Learning Process Built Between Both Countries

The project's initial activities consisted of a series of six specialized virtual conferences that brought together approximately 400 participants, including researchers, extension professionals, civil society representatives, academics, and government officials from both countries. These sessions covered topics such as quality seed production, genetic breeding, genetic resources, phytosanitary management, agroforestry systems, high-quality cocoa production, the circular economy, and research on cadmium. This exchange helped establish a common technical language and prepare the Haitian delegation for the in-person mission in Colombia.

As part of the project's technical coordination, Liliana Grandett, a researcher at the Turipaná Research and Technology Transfer Center and Technical Coordinator of AGROSAVIA's participation, highlighted the importance of technical cooperation and knowledge exchange: "Technical cooperation truly fulfills its purpose when knowledge built over years of research reaches local territories and can be adapted to new realities. This experience demonstrated that sharing methodologies, lessons learned, and technologies strengthens institutional capacities and creates opportunities to develop sustainable solutions among countries facing similar challenges."

 

From Virtual Exchange to Learning in the Field

As a continuation of the training process, the technical mission in Colombia was carried out from July 21 to 27, 2026, with the participation of ten officials from Haiti's Ministry of Agriculture. In this regard, Grandett stated, "For seven days, the delegation traveled through different departments of the country, where they visited our research centers, producer organizations, and successful agricultural innovation initiatives, allowing them to gain first-hand knowledge of technologies with potential for adaptation to the production conditions of their country."

At the La Suiza Research and Technology Transfer Center, participants learned about research on cocoa genetic breeding, plant material production, germplasm banks, agroforestry systems, cadmium management, and cocoa bean fermentation, drying, and quality assessment processes. Subsequently, at FEDECACAO, they identified strategies for strengthening Colombia's cocoa value chain through technical assistance, research, and rural extension.

The agenda continued in the department of Cesar, where the delegation visited experiences involving coordination among institutions, local governments, and producer associations. There, they learned about the agro-industrial cassava processing process developed by APROYUZAP and the precision agriculture strategies implemented by FEDEARROZ to increase the productivity and sustainability of rice production.

At the conclusion of the technical tour of Colombia, Grandett added that the delegation arrived in the department of Bolívar, where the mission visited CLAYUCA's pilot plant for high-quality cassava flour and AGROSAVIA's El Carmen de Bolívar site. There, researchers presented advances in yam production, seed production, integrated pest and disease management, bean varieties adapted to climate change, and experiences with Territorial Innovation Systems aimed at strengthening family farming.

 

AGROSAVIA Strengthens its Leadership in International Cooperation

The experience consolidated AGROSAVIA's position as a regional reference in research, innovation, and technology transfer for agricultural development. The Turipaná Research and Technology Transfer Center's leadership enabled it to coordinate knowledge generated by different research teams and transform it into an integrated technical offering to strengthen the capacities of Haiti's agricultural sector.

"Beyond technology transfer, the project consolidated a cooperation network between institutions from both countries, based on knowledge exchange and capacity building to address the challenges of tropical agriculture," explained Liliana Grandett.

This experience reaffirms AGROSAVIA's commitment to international cooperation as a mechanism for generating regional impact and contributing to the sustainable development of agri-food systems in the Caribbean and Latin America.