Colombia’s Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism MarÃa Claudia Lacouture (PICTURE) announced that Innpulsa, a project that foments innovation and entrepreneurship, will fund projects in the coffee sector that contribute to generational knowledge transfer and that improve rural Colombia´s living conditions.
Ms. Lacouture made her announcement under the frame of the 83rd National Coffee Growers Congress, where she encouraged growers to innovate, add value to coffee production and foment youth participation.
Successful participants must present innovative and entrepreneurial projects that contribute to generational knowledge transfer and that improve rural Colombia´s living conditions.
“We are fomenting innovation and entrepreneurship. Innpulsa is offering a new and unique opportunity, worth over US$ 656,000, that is exclusive for coffee growers. Applications will be received starting January 2017.”
Ms. Lacouture explained that the initiative is part of the Ministry’s redefined eight-angle portfolio strategy that encompasses technology transfer, better financing, the modernization of quality standards, production chains, foreign trade and sustainability, among others.
The Minister acknowledged the healthy state that Colombian coffee exports are facing, as opposed to other sectors -such as sugar or meat- that have been hit by the contraction of world trade.
She warned, however, about the need to increase productivity. Note that while Colombia produces around 17 bags per hectare, countries such as Brazil produce around 27 bags per hectare.
Ms. Lacouture also encouraged coffee growers to explore other sources of income such as birdwatching tourism. “Colombia has over 1,900 bird species. 20% of them are endemic (…) The department of Valle del Cauca alone has more birds than the United States,” she concluded.
