CATIE and PROCOMER initiate approach to strengthen sustainable development 

• The DISCOVER Program is a public-private alliance aimed at promoting development processes. 

On November 7th, the CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) received a visit from Juan Gabriel Ramírez, director of the DISCOVER program, an inter-institutional platform coordinated by PROCOMER (Foreign Trade Promotion Agency).  

The program is a public-private alliance coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, and PROCOMER, aiming to foster development, transformation, scalability, innovation, and technical advice for agricultural and agro-industrial export companies with export potential. 

The main purpose of this visit was to initiate an approach with the objective of identifying possible lines of joint work between CATIE and DISCOVER.  

Throughout the day, strategic meetings were held with Muhammad Ibrahim, General Director of CATIE; Carlos Araya, Director of the Office of Green Business Development and Strategic Partnerships; Luis Diego Jiménez, Coordinator of the Business Area; Claudia Sepúlveda, leader of the Livestock and Environmental Management Unit; Cristóbal Villanueva, researcher from the same unit; Mariela Leandro, Dean of the Graduate School; and specialists in sustainable agribusiness from the Environmental Economics and Sustainable Agribusiness Unit (EfD).

The delegation that visited CATIE also included Arianna Quirós, DISCOVER program specialist, and Paola Montoya, from PROCOMER's strategic alliances area. 

The meeting was coordinated by Adriana Escobedo, specialist in value chains and sustainable agribusiness at the Environmental Economics and Sustainable Agribusiness Unit (EfD).

Work to be done 

During the visit, a mutual understanding was established to propose joint initiatives aimed at improving access to technologies, implementing innovative methodologies, and strengthening human talent in activities related to CATIE's areas of expertise. 

The director of the DISCOVER program expressed his enthusiasm for the possibility of working hand in hand with CATIE, recognizing the leadership and experience that the institution has demonstrated in issues related to sustainable development and agribusiness.  

This initial meeting lays the foundation for a collaboration that could have a significant impact on the promotion of sustainable practices, the exchange of knowledge, and the promotion of projects that contribute to the well-being of agricultural communities.  

Both CATIE and DISCOVER see this alliance as an opportunity to enhance their respective missions and contribute effectively to sustainable progress in the region. 

Both parties committed to continue exploring specific areas of collaboration and working on concrete proposals that benefit both institutions.