Transforming the quinoa sector in Cauca: A project that boosts competitiveness and sustainability

• More than 800 farmers have benefited from AGROSAVIA's project.
• The initiative, funded by the General Royalties System of Cauca, seeks to close technological gaps and promote more homogeneous, high-quality genetic material.
• Training on cultivation techniques, fertilization, irrigation, phytosanitary management, and optimization of post-harvest processes to improve grain quality has been provided.
• The initiative promotes clean, organic, and sustainable production, boosting competitiveness in national and international markets.

 

Palmira, Valle del Cauca. March 21, 2025. The project "Development of New Technological Recommendations to Contribute to the Competitiveness and Sustainability of the Quinoa Sector in the Department of Cauca," led by Corporación colombiana de investigación agropecuaria - AGROSAVIA and funded by the General Royalties System, is marking a significant change on how farmers in the department manage quinoa cultivation.

During its implementation, more than 800 direct beneficiaries, including 42% women, 50% Indigenous, and 30% rural farmers, have received training and guidance on various techniques to improve grain production and quality. Arturo Carabalí, PhD Researcher and Project Leader at AGROSAVIA's Palmira Research Center commented, "This project not only seeks to increase productivity but also to guarantee sustainable and competitive practices that benefit producers in local and international markets."

In the municipalities of Bolívar, La Vega, Silvia, and Totoró in Cauca, training and demonstrations have been carried out on managing promising quinoa lines, crop nutrition, planting densities, conservation agriculture, and pest and disease control. In addition, issues such as traceability in the production model and technological optimization for post-harvest have been addressed, with the delivery of four models that improve the efficiency of the threshing and drying processes, raising the final quality of the grain.

Carabalí concluded, "With this comprehensive approach and the transferred technological recommendations, we seek to enable farmers to minimize losses and obtain higher-quality products, contributing to the competitiveness of the quinoa sector in Cauca."

The project is characterized by a participatory approach, which integrates ancestral knowledge with modern technology so that the community can appropriate this knowledge and apply it for its own benefit. These types of initiatives, which combine science and practice, are vital to ensuring a more inclusive and sustainable agricultural development.

Through the project "Development of New Technological Recommendations to Contribute to the Competitiveness and Sustainability of the Quinoa Sector in the Department of Cauca," AGROSAVIA contributes to the present and future of one of the country's largest quinoa-producing areas, ensuring that farmers can meet the sector's challenges.