Betting on the latest technology projects, agriculture 4.0 and seeking alternative products derived from sugarcane so as not to depend on international prices, are some of the lines of action on which the Guatemalan sugar sector will focus in the coming years.
Although sugar prices in the international market have improved between October 2020 and April 2021, in previous years there was a downward trend that pressured mills to explore new market opportunities for sugarcane-derived products.
Producers, technicians and researchers linked to the coffee business at the international level will be meeting in San Salvador from June 6 to 8, to discuss topics such as genetics and climate change.
"...The second edition of the conclave will take place from June 6 to 8 and this year it is expected that more than 700 attendees will take part from twenty countries, said Carlos Borgonovo, president of the Salvadoran Association of Coffee Roasters and Exporters (Abecafe)."
The first phase of the "Gorgas Campus" project includes construction of the research and biosafety laboratory buildings at levels 2 and 3, the transport warehouse and the water treatment plant and administration area.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy and Finance:
The National Economic Council today approved a loan agreement with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE), worth up to B / .70,000,000, for the Ministry of Economy and Finance to finance, in part, a project to equip Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas with new infrastructure and state-of-the-art technology.
Resources allocated to research and innovation to generate greater added value in the agricultural sector are said to be insufficient.
The potential for growth in agricultural activity in Nicaragua could be greater if long-term research and innovation programs were developed.Increasing public and private investment in academic training, research centers and sustainable agricultural development programs would help to improve the performance of the sector.
Only Costa Rica has an "well developed agricultural research system" in a region that "has lagged behind in terms of infrastructure, investment and research capabilities."
From a statement issued by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture:
San Jose, October 26, 2016 (IICA).The investment that some countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have made in agricultural research has progressively increased in recent years, however, there are considerable differences with other countries in the region: some have investments of up to 1.8% of Real Agricultural Domestic Product (PIBag), but others invest only 0, 1%.
The budget for the country's investment in technology and research is four times less than what is invested in developed countries.
A presentation has been made of the first report on the "State of Science, Technology and Innovation in Costa Rica."
From a press release issued by the State of the Nation:
The First Report on the State of Science, Technology and Innovation aims to lay the foundation for monitoring scientific and technological work in Costa Rica from the point of view of human development. It aims to give the central role that science and technology plays for the country's future more visible and provide information which will support decision-making in this field.
Embrapa, the Brazilian Agricultural Research company plans to use Panama as a base to support projects in Central America and the Caribbean.
The organization is one of the world leaders in tropical agriculture and was responsible for the development of the South American giant's bio-fuel industry.
"Embrapa's Panamanian office will channel support from Brazil into projects developing the region's skills and food security," reports Prensa.com.
Governments must understand the investors do not risk their money in order to develop receiving countries. They risk it in order to obtain more money.
The phrase on the lips of every Latin American government at the moment is "encourage foreign investment", as if there were a direct relationship between the amount of FDI and a country's development.
The governments signed an agreement to promote and encourage aquaculture and fishing activities in Panama.
The memorandum for the promotion of the sector was signed by the Aquatic Resource Authority of Panama (ARAP) and the Oceanographic Research Institute of Israel (IOLR).
According to Laestrella.com.pa, Reynaldo Perez-Guardia, director of ARAP, stressed that the document "will enable the development of research on the genetics of aquatic organisms, marine fish pathology, reproduction, maturation, growth rate and evaluation and research of the farmed species in aquaculture."
Data and Analysis about the Operation and Financing of Agricultural Research and Development in Central America.
In the final chapter of this report, which was produced by the International Institute of Research in Nutrition Policies (IFPRI) and the Pan-american Institute of Cooperation for Agriculture (IICA), the following is expressed:
An investigation on the "Use of Information and Communications Technologies - ICT - in Small, Medium and Large Companies in the Metropolitan Area of San Salvador."
The article by Carmen Molina Tamacas on Elsalvador.com points out that the following is observed from the study: "Fixed phones, even cell phones, have a strong competitor in the spectrum of commercial communications.
A commission from EMBRAPA arrived on Sunday in Honduras to fine tune details for the installation of a regional office for Central America and the Caribbean.
Besides the setting up of the a regional office, they are looking to provide follow up to agreements signed by the presidents of Central America and Brazilian president, Lula Da Silva, last year in El Salvador.