ACTIVA-CATIE Showcases Its Work at the Second Edition of the National Bioinputs Forum

• Ricardo Padrón and Juan José Serrano represented CATIE’s Productive Landscapes Forests and Biodiversity Unit (UBBPP) at this event, which also featured entrepreneurs supported by ACTIVA-CATIE.

On March 11 and 12, the second edition of the National Bioinputs Forum was held at the Costa Rica Institute of Technology (TEC) in San Carlos. This event aims to drive the sustainable transformation of Costa Rica’s agricultural and livestock production by promoting and scaling up bioinputs and implementing a national strategy to strengthen this subsector.

ACTIVA-CATIE’s Participation

This key event for sustainable agriculture and the future of agricultural production brought together representatives from the public and private agricultural sectors, producers, researchers, agricultural extension personnel, and academics. Among the participants were Juan José Serrano and Ricardo Padrón, both from the ACTIVA-CATIE Innovation and Entrepreneurship Laboratory, part of the UBBPP at CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center), who were invited to fulfill various roles.

Ricardo Padrón, an innovation and entrepreneurship specialist at ACTIVA-CATIE, participated in the panel for Block V, where business cases and experiences in the production and use of bioinputs were shared.

Padrón stated that ACTIVA-CATIE has developed essential tools and methodologies for incubating and growing bioinput enterprises.

"ACTIVA-CATIE’s experiences with the Development Banking System (SBD) program have mobilized key investments that contribute to the development of startups in this sector," explained the specialist.

He added, "It is important to continue building synergies to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem that fosters innovation and the promotion of bioinputs."

Meanwhile, Juan José Serrano, a mentor at ACTIVA-CATIE, used his presence at the event to strengthen partnerships and consolidate relationships with representatives of sector institutions.

 "Sharing this event with officials from various regions of the country, belonging to institutions such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), was fundamental for disseminating ACTIVA-CATIE’s efforts in rural areas, as they have firsthand knowledge of potential beneficiaries for developing their enterprises."

Entrepreneurs Supported by ACTIVA-CATIE

Five businesses backed by ACTIVA-CATIE, an accredited operating agency under the SBD, participated in the National Bioinputs Forum. These businesses have received mentorship, training, and support from ACTIVA-CATIE specialists. The participating enterprises were:

• Agroland, from La Palmera de San Carlos
• Hogarnika, from Venecia de San Carlos
• Agrobioles, from Turrialba
• By Products, from Guápiles
• Agrobioma, from Bajo Zúñiga, San Ramón

These enterprises have been part of the calls for proposals led by ACTIVA-CATIE, contributing to sustainable innovation in the agricultural sector.

Key Objectives of the Event

The National Bioinputs Forum also aimed to establish a Specialized National Technical Committee to guide and support the development of the National Bioinputs Strategy. Simultaneously, this effort seeks to strengthen collaboration with the government, international organizations, private companies, and producers.

Through its participation in this event, ACTIVA-CATIE reaffirms its commitment to promoting sustainable innovations in Costa Rican agriculture and strengthening entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector.