Delegation from the University of El Salvador and JICA Explore Collaborations for Sustainable Agricultural Development

• Representatives from the project "Adding Value to Agroindustrial Crops in El Salvador" visited the institution to promote knowledge exchange and capacity strengthening.

February 1, 2024. A delegation from the University of El Salvador (UES) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) visited the CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) with the aim of learning from experiences and exploring collaborations in the field of sustainable agricultural development.

The Faculty of Agronomic Sciences at UES and the Japanese cooperation are coordinating a project called "Adding Value to Agroindustrial Crops in El Salvador" (CREVAS), in which Edgar Reyes, a graduate of the master's program in "Management of Agribusiness and Sustainable Markets" and a faculty professor, is actively involved. Reyes initiated the visit to CATIE.

Reyes expressed his interest in meeting with specialists in the area of sustainable agribusiness and value chains from the Unit of Environmental Economics and Sustainable Agribusiness (UEAAS/EfD) to have the valuable opportunity to learn details and experiences in the field of "Sustainable Value Chains." He acknowledged the extensive expertise of the postgraduate staff and the GANEMOS master's program in this area.

The delegation included Natsue Higashino, Project Coordinator from JICA, along with Nelson Granados, Project Manager and Dean of the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences at UES. The team also included experts such as Efraín Rodríguez, Israel Steinau, Marvin Molina, Erick Guardado, and Sadao Takahashi, the project leader.

The welcome was given by Evelyn Chaves Jaén, Anthony Gamboa Chavarría, and Susana Acuna from UEAAS/EfD, who presented their work, emphasizing the business approaches of the Unit, such as capacity strengthening, innovation management, applied research, and the promotion of sustainable agribusiness models.

Knowledge Exchange

Reyes explained that the visit aimed to learn about sustainable agribusiness management practices and gather valuable information about CATIE's experiences with producers. "The project we are involved in, titled 'Strengthening the Value Chain of Agroindustrial Crops in El Salvador,' seeks to enhance the capacity of producers to add value to their crops, focusing on crops such as cocoa, coffee, vegetables, and honey. It is well-known in the region that CATIE has extensive knowledge in these areas," he said.

Edgar emphasized the importance of training producers not only in technical aspects but also in agribusiness strengthening. "Courses have been developed to improve the technical and business capabilities of participants, with the vision of transforming production and generating greater value in the sector," he mentioned.

Nelson Bernabé Granados Alvarado, Dean of the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences at the University of El Salvador, expressed his interest in strengthening ties with CATIE. "The visit is part of a joint initiative with Japanese cooperation to support small communities and producers, analyzing value chains," he said.

Granados Alvarado highlighted the need to improve collaboration to reactivate beneficial programs for human talent development. He emphasized the importance of enhancing agricultural practices from CATIE's perspective and strengthening efforts for the benefit of local producers. Finally, he emphasized the commitment of Salvadoran institutions to strengthen their ties with CATIE, seeking to contribute to sustainable development in the agricultural sector and apply lessons learned in their respective countries.

The delegation also visited the international collections of cocoa and coffee. They held meetings with Mariela Leandro, Dean of the Graduate School, and with the Director-General Muhammad Ibrahim, who received them in the afternoon.

The director emphasized that El Salvador has been a member country of CATIE since 1988 and that there is a continued interest in strengthening cooperation with different institutions, especially with the renowned University of El Salvador.

"The interests and initiatives we see in this meeting align with the work of the institution in El Salvador. We are very willing to make work plans and see how we can progress in implementing projects that positively impact people's lives," he noted.