CATIE strengthens ties with German Cooperation

• Permanent Representative of GIZ in Costa Rica, Mr. Jürgen Klenk, visited the CATIE campus in Turrialba. 

This Friday, October 4, the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) received at its campus in Turrialba, Costa Rica, the permanent representative of the German Development Cooperation Agency (GIZ) in the country, Mr. Jürgen Klenk and his wife, who met with the general director of CATIE, Dr. Luis Pocasangre Enamorado. 

Subsequently, the visiting delegation visited the Biotechnology Laboratory, the Orthodox Seed Germplasm Bank and the International Coffee and Cocoa Collections housed at CATIE, which are celebrating their 75th and 80th anniversaries this year, respectively. 

During the visit, they also saw CATIE's research work on agroforestry systems, silvopastoral systems and sustainable livestock. They also visited the extensive collection of tropical plants housed in CATIE's Botanical Garden, where Mr. Klenk planted a tree as a symbol of the cooperation between CATIE and GIZ. 

For more than 50 years, the German Development Cooperation Agency (GIZ) has been working with companies, civil society actors and research institutes to promote a successful link between development policies and various areas of application, such as economic development, employability, energy, environment, peace and security. 

CATIE is currently working closely with GIZ on the implementation of two key programs for Inclusive Green Development in the region. The Transforma-Innova Program (Low Carbon and Climate Resilient Transformational Pathways in Costa Rica) seeks to engage stakeholders from relevant sectors to shift their agricultural and blue production systems towards sustainable, biodiverse, low carbon and climate resilient value chains, in a way that contributes to Costa Rica's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and its National Decarbonization Plan. 

The EbA LAC, program aims to increase the resilience to climate change of vulnerable communities and ecosystems in rural areas of Ecuador, Guatemala and Costa Rica through the implementation of Ecosystem-based Adaptation measures.