8, 9 and 10 September of 2025
Gravity irrigation training
During three days of theoretical and practical training, Cenicaña professionals reinforced concepts on gravity irrigation to stewards and irrigators of the Providencia and Cauca sugar mills.
The activity, part of the project for sustainable water resource management in the Amaime River basin, sought to create a culture of good practices and strengthen technical skills in efficient water management. During the field practice, participants learned how to measure flows using RBC gutter and the volumetric method, essential tools that optimize irrigation application, as they reduce losses and promote more sustainable water resource management. Additionally, fundamental concepts were addressed in the soil moisture dynamics (saturation, field capacity and permanent wilting point).
These actions are aimed at strengthening current practices in water resource management, with the goal of improving the efficiency and sustainability of the agroindustry.
Number of Attendees: 50 | Location: Providencia and Cauca Sugar Mills | Project: MN – Bonsucro Impact Fund
10th September 2025
Irrigator school: booster session
The Cenicaña Training Center hosted a reinforcement session of the Irrigation School a supervisors, corporals and stewards from the María Luisa and Castilla sugar mills. The day's objective was to consolidate the skills acquired during the course.
Through this reinforcement, Cenicaña seeks to guarantee the efficiency in the work of gravity irrigation, a fundamental practice for crop productivity.
This initiative strengthens the commitment to field staff and their ongoing training, ensuring they have the tools and knowledge necessary to optimize water management.
Number of attendees: 20 | Location: Cenicaña
10th September 2025
Practices that protect the soil and care for birds
Through a field day that brought together sugarcane growers from various sugar mills, the day was held with the main objective of socializing the relevance of the biodiversity within the sugarcane production system and promote sustainable practices oriented to soil conservation and compaction mitigation.
Among the central topics addressed were the book “A sweet song” and the recognition of birds in sugarcane cultivation, integrated weed management, 0X0 grounding, tilling techniques and waste management.
This initiative supported by TNC (The Nature Conservancy in Latin America) and Audubon, was carried out by Cenicaña and was developed with a view to developing a more environmentally friendly agroindustry, where productivity coexists with the protection of natural resources.
Number of attendees: 33 | Location: Hacienda Las Ceibas
10th September 2025
Drainage management training: Riopaila
The training, focused on the management of agricultural drainage in sugarcane brought together zone managers, field supervisors and the head of water resources at the sugar mill.
This initial session, in preparation for the rainy season, is part of Cenicaña's regional strategy to efficiently manage crop drainage, seeking to improve growth conditions and achieve greater productivity. A second practical session is expected to consolidate the knowledge acquired.
Number of attendees: 20 | Location: Ingenio Castilla – Riopaila Plant
11 and 12 September 2025
Irrigation scheduling: Water Balance
In two theoretical-practical sessions focused on the irrigation scheduling based on water balance Professional staff from the San Carlos and Mayagüez sugar mills were trained
The sessions addressed fundamental concepts such as field capacity, the permanent wilting point, the crop water requirements and rapidly usable water surface (LARA).
The main objective was to provide attendees with the necessary tools to calculate the water balance and, thus, schedule irrigation in a timely manner, ensuring that the crop's water needs are met efficiently.
Number of attendees: 6 | Location: San Carlos Sugar Mill and Mayagüez Sugar Mill
