CATIE receives delegation from World Coffee Research to strengthen collaboration in coffee research

• For over ten years, WCR and CATIE have worked together to improve coffee cultivation.

On Thursday, February 29, CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) welcomed a delegation from World Coffee Research (WCR) with the main objective of following up on existing projects between both institutions and exploring potential future collaborations.

The visit was led by Dr. Tania Humphrey, Director of Research and Development at WCR, Dr. Santos Barrera, Genomics Researcher and leader of the Innovea project, as well as Emilia Umaña, Manager of the Nursery Development Program.

WCR is a global non-profit agricultural research organization that brings together the world coffee industry to drive science-based solutions and ensure a diverse and sustainable supply of quality coffee for future generations.

The WCR team took advantage of the visit to explore CATIE's biotechnology laboratory, where the propagation of the 12 new hybrids and in vitro germination of elite germplasm seeds takes place. This part of the visit allowed for a detailed follow-up on the progress in the research and development of new coffee varieties, focusing on improving key characteristics for the industry.

Additionally, a tour of the micro-cutting propagation area and the Innovea trial was conducted, where the delegation could firsthand witness the technological innovations implemented in the ongoing projects.

Commitment and collaborative work

In a meeting with CATIE's General Director, Dr. Luis Pocasangre, and Rolando Cerda, Coordinator of the Agroforestry and Coffee and Cocoa Genetic Improvement Unit, the existing mutual commitment between the two institutions was reaffirmed, highlighting CATIE as a strategic partner in coffee research.

During the day, Dr. Tania Humphrey expressed her satisfaction with the ongoing collaboration with CATIE and emphasized the importance of maintaining joint efforts to advance global research.

In November 2022, CATIE hosted representatives from World Coffee Research and its partners on its campus for the launch of the global coffee genetic improvement program: Innovea, which aims to ensure the long-term productivity of this crop.

The program's headquarters, called the "Breeding Factory Site," was located at CATIE. Additionally, 10 more locations were established in different countries around the world to expose the same germplasm population to various growth environments.

Through Innovea, the goal is to form a global coffee improvement network, working specifically with partners in Costa Rica, the United States, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, Rwanda, and Uganda, collectively responsible for 23% of global exports of Coffea arabica.

This visit further strengthened the ties between CATIE and World Coffee Research, solidifying their position as key players in the research and development of new coffee varieties that contribute to the growth and sustainability of the international coffee sector.