Last Friday, November 7, a productive meeting took place between FONTAGRO and Alliance Bioversity International - CIAT at their campus located in Palmira, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. The main objective of this meeting was to renew the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which strengthens cooperation between both organizations. This agreement, in effect for several years, is highly relevant for promoting agriculture in the Americas, ensuring a collaborative and efficient approach. In this context, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), as a strategic partner and sponsor of FONTAGRO, plays a fundamental role by acting as a focal point in each member country, facilitating the implementation of key innovations that promote agricultural development in the region.

The visit included a tour of the "Future of Seeds" seed bank, a global innovation center focused on the conservation and use of crop diversity, becoming a driving force for agricultural innovation. Through genomics, digital phenotyping, and information technologies, they are building a "knowledge bank" that enables the deployment of crop diversity based on data.

In a subsequent meeting, participants had the opportunity to learn directly about the innovations that FONTAGRO and the Alliance are promoting to foster productive, profitable, and resilient agriculture. Key and common topics such as crop genetic improvement were discussed.

The technical and scientific teams from Alliance Bioversity International – CIAT shared advances on the development of more productive and nutritious cassava varieties, which not only contributes to food security but also improves the quality of life for farmers and their communities. Furthermore, they presented projects on agro-climatic monitoring systems, interactive visualization of digital maps, data downloading, and dynamic graphs, utilizing mobile stations and drones capable of measuring climatic conditions in various crops, as well as other advanced technologies for improving forages.

Additionally, the creation of a business model focused on research, development, and innovation (R&D&I) was proposed. This model would be designed to promote new extension services that support producers in adopting knowledge and innovative technologies through the research projects of both organizations. Emphasis was placed on impact evaluation, focused on analyzing its effect on local economies, social equity, and food security.

Moreover, FONTAGRO presented its Medium-Term Plan 2025-2030 (MTP), which points to a promising direction for the future of agri-food systems through six flagship programs. The 2026 Call for Proposals was also discussed, which is set to launch in December and focuses on cooperation and innovation to boost more productive, profitable, and competitive agri-food systems with a reduced environmental footprint in Latin America and the Caribbean. This call proposes a specific funding model by thematic area, aligned with each flagship program of the MTP. For instance, genetic improvement, a key topic for both organizations, will be integrated into the program for the transformation of resilient and carbon-neutral cropping systems, which promises to strengthen initiatives in this area.

During the meeting, the active participation of Eugenia Saini, Executive Secretary of FONTAGRO, and Maya Rajasekharan, General Director for the Americas of Alliance Bioversity International – CIAT, was highlighted. Together with their technical and administrative teams, they work to strengthen the Strategic Alliance between the organizations. This joint effort aims to enhance the development of agri-food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasizing the positive impact that these collaborations can generate in the region's agriculture.