Agrocadenas

The Agrocadenas project is a joint initiative between the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), and the CISP–Venser Consortium. It is designed to strengthen the agro-productive chains of cocoa, coffee, avocado, mango, and passion fruit.
This intervention will directly benefit over 1,200 farming families in the departments of Arauca, Huila, and Tolima, aiming to boost the rural economy, reduce inequalities, and promote inclusive opportunities.
The project addresses the need to consolidate a sustainable and competitive agro-entrepreneurial model with a strong territorial and community impact.

Agrocadenas focuses on several core pillars:

• Technical assistance for producers,
• Certification in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP),
• Upgrading processing facilities to ensure high-quality products with significant added value.

Furthermore, it promotes transformation and marketing processes, opening doors to both national and international market opportunities.

Priority is given to the active participation of women, youth, and victims of the armed conflict, thereby strengthening social inclusion and peacebuilding through the agro-productive sector.
The initiative also highlights the importance of public-private partnerships and cooperatives as essential tools for overcoming structural barriers in agriculture. Within this framework, producer associations, rural competitiveness, and the sustainability of value chains are actively promoted.
The project mobilizes specialized technical cooperation and coordinates efforts with local associations, enhancing both community management and entrepreneurial capabilities.

A distinctive element is the vision of peacebuilding through a territorial approach, which recognizes agriculture as a primary engine for reconciliation and resilience. By implementing replicable agro-entrepreneurial development models, Agrocadenas contributes to reinforcing the local economic fabric and revitalizing regions affected by violence.
Finally, Agrocadenas serves as a symbol of international cooperation and bilateral commitment between Colombia and Italy. Its added value lies in the consortium’s ability to integrate resources, knowledge, and experience to foster inclusive rural development.

General Objective
To sustainably strengthen Colombian agro-productive chains from technical, cooperative, and managerial perspectives by promoting collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Specific Objective
To strengthen Colombian agro-productive chains from technical, cooperative, and managerial perspectives by encouraging

• Operational Preliminary Phase: Project planning
• Phase 1: Development of specific improvement plans for the selected value chains
• Phase 2: Implementation of the development plan for the primary segment
• Phase 3: Implementation of the development plan for the secondary segment (transformation) to generate added value
• Phase 4: Implementation of marketing and commercialization strategies