The project called “Strengthening of the coconut production chain of the Pacific Coast of Cauca, Stage I” is led by José Fernando Grass, professor at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the Alma Mater, and is configured as the first such initiative that will run the University of Cauca in this region of the west of the Department with an ambitious commitment designed to improve the living conditions of coastal communities.

Boosting the economy and generating employment through added value to coconut are some of the objectives proposed by the project 'Strengthening the coconut production chain of the Pacific Coast of Cauca, Stage I: Feasibility study of value aggregation strategies to the coconut of the Pacific Coast of Cauca 'presented by the University of Cauca before the OCAD Collegiate Body of Administration and Decision, and which was approved to access funds from the General Royalty System for a value of $ 5,800,184,607.

The project that will be directly executed by the University of Cauca is the first one to be carried out in the Pacific Coast of Cauca. It is scheduled to take place in two years and six months in the López de Micay, Timbiquí and Guapi municipalities and its success will be reflected in the improvement of the quality of life of these communities.

The teacher José Fernando Grass of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and lead researcher of the project explained that he plans to work with the actors associated with the coconut production chain to characterize the current market of food and non-food products, and will also be validated with the community the potential of them to the interior and exterior of the territory, to finally propose commercial alternatives for the products and by-products of the tropical fruit.

“What the project is looking for is that about 1,000 coconut producers from López de Micay, Timbiquí and Guapi can identify transformation alternatives so that they add value locally, articulate to the chains and thus, create jobs in these municipalities and improve the income of the producers”explained the professor of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Cauca.

The professor said that the initiative is in the Department of Cauca, third producer of this crop nationwide, however, the producers of the sector only remove the fiber outside the product, it is taken by river or sea to Buenaventura and then inside of the country, so no value is added to the product and the profits turn out to be minimal.

“I am convinced that research is important to the extent that it has a social impact and I invite the researchers to work with the resources that exist at the national level and look at the problems that different communities have in our departments, and that through the investigation we look for alternatives to solve their problems ”, concluded Grass.

More Info:

Faculty of Agricultural Sciences

Email: jfgrass@unicauca.edu.co