Protected Horticulture

Code:

ATN/RF-16343-RG

Initiative:

Joint proyects

FONTAGRO Amount:

USD 400.000

Counterpart Amount:

USD 1.245.631

Execution time

39 Months

Total Amount:

USD 1.645.631

Participating countries:

Colombia

Costa Rica

Dominican Republic Panama

Panama

Funding source:

FONTAGRO Amount 24% Other agencies 0% Counterpart Amount 76%

Executive Summary

Family farming in Latin American and Caribbean vegetable production is characterized by traditional open field production, highly vulnerable to adverse environmental conditions (high temperatures, droughts, floods, photo-inhibition), low-tech and lacking in business focus. In response to this challenge, FONTAGRO, together with Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Colombia, financed the proposal that aims to contribute to the improvement of the competitiveness of horticultural systems of family agriculture through technological innovations for the sustainable intensification and diversification of production under protected conditions.

The technological solution

The following activities will be carried out:

i) prioritization of horticultural species with greater potential for production in high temperature areas under protected conditions,

ii) identify market segments to validate the technological innovations generated,

iii) evaluate performance of prototype protection structures against biotic and abiotic threats to improve productivity and horticultural quality,

iv) validate and adjust technological recommendations to improve the adaptability, productivity and quality of vegetables under protected conditions in family farming systems,

v) transfer technological innovations for the production of vegetables under protected conditions through learning schools and participatory validation,

vi) determine the added value of applied technological innovations and

vii) consolidate a platform for the exchange of experiences, knowledge and strengths among project member countries on the issue of vegetable production under protected conditions in the tropics.

Results

Among the main results obtained to date is the diagnosis of value chains, mapping of relevant actors, limitations, and advantages of the production chain in each prioritized region, identification of production alternatives according to supply and demand for production chains, and Agroclimatic characterization of pilot sites necessary for the modeling and simulation of structures for Colombia, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica. With the information in each region, four greenhouse prototype models and four mesh house prototype models were simulated and designed for a protected environment horticulture system in each country.

Meanwhile, the agronomic and physiological behavior of 35 materials from 9 horticultural species under each structure has been evaluated, comparing them with open field production, generating technological recommendations especially in tomato, lettuce, paprika, chili and cucumber species.

The project in its knowledge management component has carried out 60 events, of which 14 were held virtually and 3,978 people have been trained in horticultural production issues under protected conditions, of which 1,295 are producers and 46.7% women.

Beneficiaries

The beneficiaries of the project are small vegetable producers located in high temperature areas in Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic.

• Approximately 6,000 producers from Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic

• Approximately 40 producer associations from Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic

• Approximately 2,500 agricultural technical assistants from Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic

• Approximately 800 students of agricultural careers related to the agricultural sectors of Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic.

Sustainable Development Goals

Main donors

Project news

The Fontagro project of technological innovations in the production of vegetables under a protected environment begins in the Dominican Republic

14/05/2020

Go to the project webstory Learn more about this story

Participating Organizations

Executor

Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (AGROSAVIA) - Colombia

Co-executor

Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF) - República Dominicana
Instituto de Innovación Agropecuaria de Panamá (IDIAP) - Panamá
Instituto Nacional de Innovación y Transferencia en Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) - Costa Rica