Deputy Minister of Agrarian Development and Irrigation of Peru Explores Collaboration Opportunities at CATIE

• The emphasis is on promoting climate-smart and sustainable agricultural practices, as well as efficient water management.

To bolster Peruvian agriculture, Christian Barrantes, Deputy Minister of Family Agriculture Development and Agrarian Infrastructure and Irrigation at the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation of the Republic of Peru, paid a visit to the headquarters of CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) in Costa Rica on March 12th.

The primary aim of this visit was to personally investigate the research offerings and ongoing work at CATIE, an institution widely respected within Peru's agricultural domain.

During his time at CATIE, Barrantes had the chance to delve into the center's strengths and cutting-edge technologies that could have a positive impact on sustainable development and agricultural production in his homeland.

He underscored the importance of this collaboration in tackling the current challenges confronting Peruvian agriculture, particularly in promoting climate-smart and sustainable agricultural practices, as well as enhancing water management efficiency.

"We still face a number of challenges regarding how to promote climate-smart agriculture, which is increasingly sustainable, and how to improve water management. I've observed that CATIE possesses expertise in water governance issues. That's why we aim to strengthen capacities and generate fresh proposals for agricultural development in Peru," expressed the Deputy Minister.

The representative of the Peruvian government visited the Dairy Farm and the Sustainable Livestock Unit, where Professor Danilo Pezo and Engineer Alejandro Molina presented innovative practices in this field. Additionally, Laura Benegas, the director of the Division of Green and Inclusive Development Research, offered a presentation on knowledge generation from the nine research units of CATIE; while William Solano explained to Barrantes the work of the Biotechnology Laboratory.

The general director of CATIE, Luis Pocasangre, expressed his enthusiasm for future collaboration for the benefit of sustainable agricultural development.

Among the collaborations between CATIE and the Ministry of Agriculture of Peru, the following were listed:

• Training on the management of Fusarium Tropical Race 4 affecting organic banana production in Peru.
• Cooperation in sustainable livestock and silvopastoral systems.
• Cooperation with cocoa clones resistant to Monilia and Black Pod.
• Cooperation with coffee rust-resistant hybrids.

Deputy Minister Barrantes' visit to CATIE signifies a significant stride towards enhancing capacities and generating novel proposals for agricultural development in Peru.

It reflects the Peruvian government's dedication to seeking innovative and sustainable solutions in this pivotal sector for the country.