ACTIVA-CATIE was present at the IICA Digital Agriculture Week

•  Creating synergies and opportunities with key stakeholders were part of the possibilities for CATIE personnel attending the evento
  

The third edition of the Digital Agriculture Week took place from September 23 to 27 at the headquarters of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), where ACTIVA-CATIE, as one of the promoting partners,  played a solid role, enhancing its positioning and visibility.

This event was organized by IICA and aimed to provide a platform for key players in agri-food digitization in the Americas to engage in dialogue and coordinate actions to foster the necessary development for the region. It also served as an excellent opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of some selected AgTechs from various Latin American countries.

Ricardo Padrón and Juan José Serrano, both specialists from the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab (ACTIVA-CATIE), under the Forests and Biodiversity in Productive Landscapes Unit of CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center), represented the institution as a key promoting partner and as a relevant player in Costa Rica's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

"ACTIVA-CATIE enriches the agricultural technology, or AgTech, landscape by focusing on business development aligned with decarbonization policies, bioeconomy, and nature-based solutions, which adds great value to the regional ecosystem," said Padrón.

Padrón was also responsible for speaking on the panel titled Financing Digital Agro Innovation: Where It's Heading and How to Enhance It, where he presented the successful experience as an operating agency of the Costa Rican Development Bank System and highlighted the implemented approach and methodology.

Regarding the importance of sharing this experience on the panel, the innovation and entrepreneurship specialist mentioned that these spaces are fundamental for maintaining ACTIVA– CATIE as a relevant actor in promoting rural entrepreneurship and innovations.

At the same time, through ACTIVA– CATIE, the participation of agricultural technology initiatives, with whom they have been working, such as Innobovino and Green Xpo Lab, was fostered. These initiatives had notable exposure during the event, which allowed their growth and relevance in the digital agriculture environment to be highlighted.

The Digital Agriculture Week is organized by IICA and has strategic allies such as the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the Latin American Development Bank (CAF), the Economic Commission for Latin America of the United Nations (ECLAC), and Bayer.