Exchange of Experiences on Good Agricultural Practices for Food Security between Haiti and Colombia

Bogotá, Capital District. July 8, 2025. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Colombia (MADR), the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA), the Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research (AGROSAVIA), and the National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC) are honored to host the Mission from the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development of Haiti in an important technical and agricultural cooperation meeting.

From July 6 to 12, through the South-South Cooperation mechanism led by the Presidential Agency for International Cooperation (APC) Colombia, Haitian officials and farmers will participate in a working agenda that will take place in Bogotá, the municipality of Mosquera (Cundinamarca), and the city of Pereira (Quindío), focused on the transfer of knowledge regarding Good Agricultural Practices. This initiative aims to strengthen peasant, family, ethnic, and community agriculture, promoting sustainability, food security, and the exchange of knowledge.

During the visit to the Tibaitatá Research Center on Tuesday, July 8, participants learned first-hand about AGROSAVIA’s work, Colombia’s experience in managing the National Germplasm Bank—a fundamental initiative for the conservation and sustainable use of the country’s agricultural genetic resources. They also learned about AGROSAVIA’s leadership in the implementation of the National Seed Plan, an initiative that promotes the production, access to, and use of quality seeds, from a food sovereignty, diversity, and sustainable rural development perspective.

Another highlight of this exchange was the presentation of intercultural protocols for seed production, built through participatory processes with peasant, Indigenous, and Afro-descendant communities, integrating ancestral and technical knowledge. These guidelines reflect the country’s commitment to cultural and territorial diversity, promoting sustainable practices that respect traditional production systems.

Donald Joseph, Director of the Department of Forest Resources and Soils of the Ministry of Agriculture of Haiti, highlighted Tibaitatá as “a great research center of global reference due to the extraordinary work being carried out” and emphasized that “the essence of this visit is to be able to engage in dialogue with Colombian technicians, to see what they are doing and identify what can be replicated in Haiti. And when Colombians visit us, we also hope to exchange experiences and knowledge so that both countries can learn from each other.”

The meeting is part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the governments of Colombia and Haiti in January 2025, as well as the presidential commitments that strengthen South-South Cooperation and regional solidarity. This effort is made possible thanks to the joint work of MADR, its affiliated entities, APC, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who have come together to facilitate this valuable knowledge exchange.

This meeting was made possible following the initial engagements by the Colombian Consul in Haiti, during her previous visit to the Corporation in May 2024, which demonstrates the ongoing commitment to building ties for agricultural development and food security in the region.