Freddy Garcés, Álvaro Amaya, Héctor Chica and Claudia Posada
Cenicaña, Estación Experimental Cenicaña. Vía Cali-Florida km 26. Corregimiento San Antonio de los Caballeros, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
The Colombian sugarcane industry boasts a 160-year history and a cultivated area of 239,000 ha, where sugarcane is harvested throughout the year. This industry operates under a circular economy model, producing not only sugar but also electricity, compost, and ethanol, while exploring the feasibility of biogas production. Research advancements have been achieved through the integration of sector stakeholders (ASOCAÑA, PROCAÑA, AZUCARI, and TECNICAÑA), with 0.65% of total sugar and ethanol sales from 13 mills and 4,500 growers allocated to research, development, and innovation (R+D+I). Research, development, and innovation in CENICAÑA encompass the fields of harvesting and factory processes, which are supported by five different transversal services for sugarcane mills and growers. The sector has driven changes that benefit the region through collective actions integrating knowledge, trust, commitment, and a forward-looking vision. Although the El Niño and La Niña phenomena have significantly affected productivity recently, Colombia ranks among the highest productivity levels worldwide. Since 2001, the industry has implemented a site-specific agricultural approach (AEPS®) to optimize resource efficiency, reducing the number of irrigations per crop cycle by 50% and increasing productivity by 50%. One of our main products is the CENICAÑA-Colombia CC cultivars, which feature preventive and integrated disease and pest management, with an emphasis on biological control, which is now often referred to as conservation-based biological control. Following the AEPS approach, in 2024, for every dollar invested in innovation through CENICAÑA, particularly in sugarcane varieties, the sector generated an additional benefit of $14, comparing CC varieties with non-CC varieties. Over the years of research and development, productivity has doubled, increasing from 0.5 t of sugar per hectare per month (TSHM) to 1.1 TSHM. The varieties developed by CENICAÑA have been adopted in nearly 100% of the cultivated area. The Colombian industry constantly faces challenges arising from varying conditions. Climate variability, food security, and responsible production are common challenges across all agricultural sectors. Innovation strategies, technologies, solutions, products, economic impacts, and challenges of the Colombian sugarcane industry are discussed. Sustainability through innovation in the agro-industrial sector has been and will continue to be our mission.