The project won First Place as the outstanding scientific work in the Legumes Technical Panel at the 68th Annual Meeting of the Central American Cooperative Program for Crops and Animals Improvement (PCCMCA), held from September 28 to October 2, 2026, in Tela, Atlántida.

Under the theme "Hands to the Soil, Food on the Table," the gathering brought together researchers, technicians, academics, producers, and representatives from national and international organizations. Over five days, participants shared knowledge, strengthened scientific cooperation, and discussed priorities for the region's agricultural development.

At the event, the project team presented one of its key outputs: the "Regional Protocol for Standardization and Nutritional Traceability in Biofortified Bean Seed Production." This tool establishes common criteria for producing biofortified bean seeds and monitoring their nutritional quality, ensuring that iron-rich varieties reach producers and consumers while retaining their nutritional benefits.

This recognition highlights the value of applied research and regional collaboration in addressing iron deficiency and improving family nutrition across Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on a staple crop in the region's diet. This achievement is the result of collaborative work among the Institute of Agricultural Innovation of Panama (IDIAP), the Dominican Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Research (IDIAF), the Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research (AGROSAVIA), the Directorate of Agricultural Science and Technology (DICTA) of Honduras, and the Nicaraguan Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA).

FONTAGRO congratulates the technical teams and researchers on this recognition, which reaffirms the region's commitment to more nutritious and sustainable agriculture. As the PCCMCA motto states, the work continues: with hands in the soil and food on the table.