Improved coffee plants will now have higher yields and better prices for coffee growing families

• Through a module for the propagation of hybrids and improved coffee varieties, CATIE will be able to facilitate and maximize the distribution of its materials.

November 8, 2022. Through the implementation of the module for the propagation of coffee hybrids and varieties, CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center), with the support of the joint investment fund with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), will be able to establish the commercialization of its materials in a more sustainable and accessible way for coffee growers.

"These greenhouses were born in light of the need to start placing plants within the reach of producers (...) Our approach was to expand the capacity to produce up to one million plants per year of coffee hybrids, where we currently had a capacity to produce 150,000-180,000 plants, so we practically multiplied our capacity by 10," said Luis Diego Jiménez, leader of CATIE's Forest Seed Bank.

Since the 1990s, through organizations such as CATIE, a genetic improvement program has been developed in coffee for Central America that allows the generation of diverse hybrids to broaden the genetic base of coffee growing and achieve greater resistance to rust and other diseases; greater vegetative vigor and high productivity; better adaptability to climate change; and larger bean size.

Since F1 coffee hybrids can be propagated by seed, as would be done traditionally, 4 hectares of the commercial farm were adapted to unify the multiplication efforts between the Biotechnology Laboratory and the BSF of CATIE. The construction of the structures began in November 2021 and started operations in April of this year with the purpose of maintaining the traceability of the materials and genetic stability, while reducing time and costs in the production of the plants.

"These areas of action correspond to the first phase of the IICA-CATIE investment funds, with which we will soon be involving other activities that will enable CATIE to improve its processes and have a greater impact on the territories," said Muhammad Ibrahim, Director General of CATIE.

Currently, the greenhouse area has a total area of 2,500 square meters under roof for the multiplication phase and is working under a system of sustainability that involves water harvesting for the irrigation systems of the plants, as well as composting to use the residues of the coffee harvests and subsequently convert it into organic fertilizer.

"The idea is to work on more sustainable multiplication systems and aim towards circular economy practices in order to be increasingly consistent with what CATIE promotes in its Inclusive Green Development approach," Jimenez emphasized.

The official inauguration of the greenhouses took place on October 28, 2022 and was attended by Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA; Muhammad Ibrahim, Director General of CATIE; Jorge Werthein, Special Advisor to the Director General of IICA; Alberto Moreno and Estrella Guier, graduates of CATIE's Graduate School; César Garcés, special guest; Calos Araya, Director of Green Business Development, Resource Mobilization and Strategic Alliances; and Luis Diego Jiménez, leader of the BSF.

"This type of joint initiatives allow us to add even more value to the coffee chain, a fundamental product in the economies of the countries of Mesoamerica and an example to the world of how research and the transfer of innovations to producers are possible and necessary, and are part of the solutions that agriculture can contribute to climate change," said Otero.

The materials are already on sale and there are two systems of commercialization or delivery for the producers; the first is in cuttings (extraction of a living part of a species to graft it in another container), which are delivered in horticultural trays of 180 cavities; or the plant ready for the field.

If you are interested in acquiring our products, please write to us at comercial@catie.ac.cr or to the BSF WhatsApp: (+506) 6365 2201.