Although the title of this column is not novel, it is appropriate to reiterate its message: we know that the factors that influence the productivity and profitability of agribusiness are complex and that the solutions require us to understand the productive and business ecosystem as a dynamic unit, as a whole in motion. That is why now, more than ever, reality is configured in the shared vision of businessmen and their collaborators, unions and institutions, state organizations and competent authorities; it is the era of knowledge, responsibility is shared and the integral vision is the key to obtain better benefits.
Although the title of this column is not novel, it is appropriate to reiterate its message: we know that the factors that influence the productivity and profitability of agribusiness are complex and that the solutions require us to understand the productive and business ecosystem as a dynamic unit, as a whole in motion. That is why now, more than ever, reality is configured in the shared vision of businessmen and their collaborators, unions and institutions, state organizations and competent authorities; it is the era of knowledge, responsibility is shared and the integral vision is the key to obtain better benefits.
The 21 years of the Automated Meteorological Network in the Cauca River Valley are evidence of the responsibility assumed by the sugarcane agribusiness in reducing the effects of climate change, acting at the local level. With the historical values of the atmospheric variables and based on the commercial data reported by the sugar mills, the effects of the climate on the productivity of sugar cane are quantified; Different analyzes show that extreme conditions in the dry and rainy seasons cause losses in the production of both cane and sugar. In these situations, it is common for farmers to react with salvage practices to ensure production goals; In any case, the real challenge, rather than the reaction, is to keep the field in adequate conditions to face threats and opportunities proactively. In this way, the comprehensive knowledge of the factors that intervene in the results is the key to decisions in difficult and favorable times. In this sense, three actions are necessary to advance productivity: first, recognize the vision of others and the value of shared knowledge; second, make the most of the available technologies, adapting and validating them to get to know them better and to apply them correctly; and third, to foresee that any improvement project has risks, especially when it comes to agricultural projects.
In this edition of Information letter We present the progress of research on different factors that affect productivity, such as the climate, the varieties of sugarcane, the water consumption of the new varieties and the microbial action on the materials of the sugar process; also, references about the Apprenticeship and Technical Assistance Program (PAT) and sectoral projects led by Asocaña, such as hydrological monitoring in the basins and the protection of the Cauca river corridor, concerted actions with the stakeholders interested in the sustainable development of the region where the Colombian sugar agribusiness is located.
Álvaro Amaya Estevez
CEO, Cenicaña
