From November 24 to 30, 2024, the COMUNIDAD team will undertake a strategic visit across Colombia, starting in Bogotá, moving to Cenicafé, and concluding in the coffee-growing region of Manizales. This journey will cover key institutions, pilot sites, and community interactions to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Colombian coffee culture.

This trip embodies COMUNIDAD’s commitment to supporting practical solutions for agricultural communities, especially in a prominent coffee-producing country. The visit will begin with meetings at the Czech Embassy in Colombia and the National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC) headquarters to strengthen collaboration between Colombia’s coffee growers’ organization and EU R&D entities. Following this, visitors will tour Cenicafé, the FNC's science and technology branch, to gain insights into innovative coffee research. They will then have an opportunity to learn about the FNC’s Extension Service through a visit to the Coffee Growers’ Committee in Manizales.

Additionally, the group will visit the Universidad Autónoma de Manizales, a key partner of the COMUNIDAD project, where they will participate in a special program including meetings with the university chancellor and department chairs, lab tours, visits to historic sites in the city, and engagements with regional authorities and press. The trip will conclude with an invaluable experience on coffee farms, where guests will connect directly with coffee-growing families, explore the plantations, and appreciate the scenic coffee-growing landscape, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Purpose and Objectives of this visit to Colombia
To gain a comprehensive overview of Colombian coffee culture by visiting key institutions, including the National Federation of Coffee Growers, exploring the FNC’s research and extension service branches, and concluding with a direct experience on coffee farms with local coffee-growing families.

Who Will Be There:
The delegation includes representatives from the COMUNIDAD team, researchers, and key partners from both Europe, Colombia and Chile, creating a diverse group to exchange ideas and solutions for the Colombia pilot.

Why This Visit Matters:
This visit provides invaluable hands-on engagement with Colombia’s coffee culture and gives all the partners an overview of the unique challenges they face in this project in the Colombia pilot.

This trip will equip the COMUNIDAD team with essential tools and background knowledge to address the unique challenges of the Colombian pilot project. Through firsthand experiences with key institutions, research centers, and coffee-growing communities, the team will gain valuable insights that will inform their approach to practical, sustainable solutions tailored to Colombia's coffee sector. The knowledge gained on this journey will be instrumental in shaping effective, culturally relevant strategies for overcoming the project’s challenges.

Stay tuned for updates on the outcomes of the COMUNIDAD project's strategic visit to Colombia, and follow us on social media, where we will share regular updates and insights into the activities during the visit to the COMUNIDAD project pilot sites!