Forestry

Forestry
  • Colombia has the potential of 17 million hectares suitable for reforestation at various latitudes. Current use is 2% on 350,000 hectares. National Corporation for Forestry Research and Development (Corporación Nacional de Investigación y Fomento Forestal, CONIF), Ministry of Agriculture (Ministerio de Agricultura), 2012.
  • Diversity of more than 10 high valueadded forestry species. Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Ministerio de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural, MADR), 2010.
  • The sector's objective for 2014 is to have 600,000 hectares of commercial forest plantations and 1.5 million hectares by 2025. Action Plan for Commercial Reforestation, 2011.

Business Opportunities

Production

  • More than 6,000 graduates in professions related to the industry. Employment Beacon (Observatorio Laboral), 2011
  • Biomass production with high yields and shorter biological cycles based on the country's strategic location in the tropics.
  • The trade balance deficit for forestry products represents an opportunity for the exploitation of the domestic market considering its size (46 million inhabitants with a growing GDP per capita income, up from $ 2,000 in the year 2000, to $ 10,000 in 2010).

Research & development

  • Research centres funded by the private sector, dedicated to research of a single product, thus facilitating the transfer and deployment of results. National Centre for Colombian Coffee Research (Cenicafe), Colombian Corporation for Forestry Research (Conif), Centre for Sugarcane Research (Cenicaña), Colombian Association of Banana Growers (Augura), Centre for Aquiculture Research (Ceniacua), Centre for Technological Research and Innovation in Palm Oil (Cenipalma), Centre for Technological Development of the AgroFood Chain of the Potato (Cevipapa), Colombian Centre for Innovation in Floriculture (Ceniflores).
  • Policy on agricultural technology innovation through production chain research and innovation agendas. The Research Board of the National Council for the Forest Chain (Concejo Nacional de Cadena Forestal) headed by the Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research (CORPOICA) (a diversified entity that provides technological knowhow and solutions to the agricultural sector, with 7 research centres, 8 experimental facilities and 270 researchers), promotes the execution of a project portfolio through the Administrative Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (Colciencias). National Development Plan, 20102014.

Regions

  • Caribbean
  • Antioquia
  • Cauca
  • Valle del Cauca
  • Altillanura