Bitter Cassava for a Sweet Milk: Bulletin n° 5, July 2019

As a key component of this initiative, the program participated in the "Coseche y venda a la fija" event held in Antioquia's Central Mayorista on July 12. The event, summoned by Colombia's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, was attended by Colombia's President Iván Duque. During the event, Mr. Santander Taliagua, a beneficiary of the Alliance, shared with the Colombian president the impact generated in the communities benefited by the Alliance located in the region of Bajo Cauca. The Alliance's social inclusion strategy focuses on gathering young dairy farmers around agricultural production, fostering their interest in their family business and their integration as transforming agents. As part of the "Future Dairy Farmers" initiative, 14 participants from different municipalities of Antioquia held a knowledge exchange day in Cundiboyacense's savanna. The "Future Dairy Farmers" initiative involved visiting different milk production farms to compare productive systems. The group also attended Agroexpo 2019, Colombia's most important agricultural trade fair, where they witnessed the latest technological innovations applied to the field and joined the "Producer's Guild Summit." During the summit, Bitter Cassava for a Sweet Milk announced its strategy to improve the conditions for inclusive rural economic development. To bring the activity closer to its final beneficiaries, Bitter Cassava for a Sweet Milk participated in the "Colanta Festivals" event on July 19. This event took place in the main park of the municipality of Santa Rosa de Osos in the department of Antioquia. The team of the alliance explained to the festival participants the benefits offered to strengthen and promote the dairy productive activities. The initiative aims to promote territorial development and improve the livelihoods of dairy farmers in the region. The Bitter Cassava for a Sweet Milk initiative is part of a broader effort to promote inclusive rural economic development in Colombia. By focusing on the needs of young dairy farmers, the initiative aims to foster innovation and technological adoption in the dairy sector. The program's territorial approach and social inclusion strategy are designed to improve the livelihoods of dairy farmers and promote sustainable agricultural production in the region.