Cenicaña leads a sector initiative that accompanies growers and mills in their process towards more sustainable crop management practices

Nutrition alternatives with the planting and incorporation of green manures such as cowpea beans, which also contributes to the control of weeds, and connecting the natural ecosystems of the Cauca river valley through biological corridors are some of the practices that are promoted among growers. of sugarcane, on its way to a more sustainable sugarcane agribusiness.   

Behind the adoption of these practices is the Integra program, led by the Center for Research on Sugar Cane of Colombia, Cenicaña, for sugar mills and growers to strengthen their transition and improvement process towards sustainable management and production from three components: environmental, social and economic.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO, to be sustainable, agriculture must meet the needs of present and future generations for its products and services, while ensuring profitability, the health of the environment and social and economic equity.

According to Freddy Fernando Garcés, CEO of Cenicaña, “our challenge with the Integra program "is to promote the adoption of sustainable practices in all productive units of the sugarcane agribusiness, incorporating cane varieties and agronomic management technologies that are more resilient, better adapted and friendly to the environment."

A total of 218 farms, representing 25.755 hectares planted with sugar cane in the Cauca river valley, are today linked to the Program. They advance in the implementation of environmental practices such as biological corridors, integrated management strategies for weeds, pests and diseases; waste management plans and crop renewal plans, among others.

In addition to the adoption of environmental practices, this initiative from its social component promotes the development of plans to prevent or mitigate impacts on the community, support for community-based environmental projects, and training and updating in occupational health and safety. In the economic aspect, it promotes the design of investment plans and activities for five years of the business and the review and monitoring of the annual budget of each production unit, among others.

Through the Integra program, sugarcane growers and mills have tools such as the Sustainable Cane Guide, which allows them to accompany and monitor the adoption of sustainable practices.

Upon joining the Program, the growers begin a process of assessment and monitoring in which an initial diagnosis is made, an action plan is defined, and support is offered by a team of extension workers from Cenicaña. Additionally, it is supported by the preparation for certification in accordance with international regulations.

According to Sandra Alarcón Muriel, coordinator of the Integra Program, through this program, actions have been coordinated with the Autonomous Corporation of Valle del Cauca, CVC, for the productive reconversion of the soils in the wetlands of the area of ​​influence of Guadalajara, San Pedro , Sonso, Guabas and Sabaletas (Ramsar) and it is expected to continue joining efforts with environmental entities to expand the scope of the actions implemented in the sugarcane production units.

Awards

Cenicaña recognized on November 30 the efforts of 25 growers, agricultural companies and mills in the adoption of sustainable practices through the Integra Program

business name	Person in charge	Estate
Bernardo saavedra		Alsacia
SAS Balsilla	Fernando Hoyos placeholder image	balsilla
carlos alfonso escobar		The India
Felipe Mejia Villegas		The beauty
Japio Garces and SCA Company	Philip Cobo	Stairs
Riopaila Castilla sugar mill	Leonard Salazar	Yurumito
Josephine Barona Nieto		Hda El Trejo
Medium Shank SAS	Stephen Uribe	Hda The Middle
Alguimar	Guido lopez	Hda Balsora
Agricultural Pichucho SAS	Eduardo Holguín	The lake
San Luis Group SAS	Juan Manuel Posada placeholder image	The triumph
Agricultural Productions Cavi SA	oscar florez	El Cairo
Inversiones Cabal Barona & Cia SAS	Angela Maria Cabal	Pitch width LB
Proterra S.A.	Yuri peralta	Manzanares River
Churimal SAS	Maria Clara Mejia	The Churimal Penalty
Carlos Hernando Azcarate Tascon		Lorena
Procoa SAS	Jaime Otoya	Chambery 3
Tenorio Jaramillos SAS	Diego Tenorio - Isabella Jaramillo	Hda Palestine
Guaduilla SAS	Ana Maria Payeras	The lemon
Molina Duran SAS	Carlos Hernando Molina	The Hatico
Mendiola SAS	Alvaro Franco Duke	mendiola
Duran Castro and CIA SCA - Agroced SC	santiago duran	The Cedrito 2
Martha Isabel Lince Cabal		Monserrate
Sarasti and Cia SAS	Rodrigo Sarasti	hda el saman
Caicedo Munoz S.A.S.	Genaro Caicedo	El Corozo

Note: Document drawn up in San Antonio de los Caballeros, Florida, December 16, 2021.