The Agro-Food event organized by Gémina in Bogotá was a success

This conference had an excellent acceptance from businessmen and professionals of food sector. It counted on the participation of very important Colombian institutions such as Procolombia, Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, Bancóldex and Segurexpo - besides Gémina's team and ICEX from Spain. In addition, we enjoy the presence and participation of the doctors Carlos Correa and Indalecio Dangod. Doctor Dangod carried out kindly the closing ceremony.

Bogotá Conference Program.

There were many participants. Representatives of large companies from the food sector in Colombia accompanied us, as well as representative associations such as ANDI, ACOPI, ASOEXPORT, ANALAC, ASOLECHE, FEDEMANGO, SAC…. and renowned research institutions such as CDTI, ACTA, CORPOICA, BANCO AGRARIO, NACIONES UNIDAS DE COLOMBIA…,as well as Colombian journals and publications specialised in the sector such as ALIMENTOS, REVISTA NACIONAL DE AGRICULTURA, ENVAPACK… We would like to thank all of them for their support and interest.

Engineer Francisco Javier Hurtado Mirón, Gémina’s responsible for the Latin American market, gave the first talk. He analysed the main features of food industry on a global scale, the markets, the distribution and consumption, focusing on the purchase habits of the more solvent markets. He presented as an example the main features of European market, one of the most demanding in the world. Additionally, he talked about the experience of the most successful region in this subject, the Spanish Region of Murcia, which sells its products to all the European market and other countries and where large multinational food processing companies are located. Murcia has developed at the same time a repertory of technological companies that provide services to the sector needs. In a second speech, Francisco Javier Hurtado named the reasons why Colombia has potential to become a large food pantry that provides the most demanding markets with high quality products. He analysed the current situation of Colombian products, the companies of the processing sector, the existing strategic gaps, the opportunities for improvement as well as a list of recommendations for achieving this goal. 

Engineer Francisco Javier Hurtado Mirón

Doctor José Vilella Esplá, Ph.D. in Food Technology and Gémina’s responsible for R+D and food quality took part immediately after. His exposition consisted of three parts. On the first part, he spoke about the last technological trends introduced in the food sector, which are included in the named “Industry 4.0” and directed to satisfy constantly the consumers’ demands and new emerging values, the high-tech agricultural production, different food ranges, new techniques of food processing and packaging, the enlarged industry, etc. On the second part, he talked about the main legislation, regulations and international protocols that confirm food safety in the different parts of the process- field production, warehouse, industrial processing, etc. - To conclude, he explained the main technological lines where the sector will direct in short and mid-term.

Doctor José Vilella Esplá

Pedro Simón, Gémina CEO, focused his conference on the value that Engineering and Technology have for Agro-industrial Competitiveness. He explained the stages of technological development in food from the point of view of the Integral Engineering that carries out the company -from an idea to the project, from the project to its execution and from the project execution to the market-, encouraging technological training, the quality of products and qualified employment, as well as the position of engineering as technological partner for costumers. This speech finished with an explanatory video about an integral project of a vegetables plant carried out by Gémina- that included from the protected cultivation, the warehouse to the process plant for creams and sauces-. In a second exposition, Pedro Simón talked about a series of specific proposals applicable to different food sectors from Colombia – agriculture, milk sector, fruit and vegetable sector, food processing sector and others sectors – that awakened a great interest among the audience.

Engineer Pedro Simón

Afterwards, engineer Luis Fernando Vergara, Director of farming and agro-industrial Sector and leader of Clúster Lácteo Bogotá- region of Bogotá chamber of Commerce took part in the conference. He realized a complete analysis about the agriculture and livestock sector and the agro-industry sector from this region –together with Antioquia and Valle del Cauca, one of the most relevant in this country- including the subsectors of agriculture, fruit and vegetable, milk and milk by-products and the processing food sector.

Engineer Luis Fernando Vergara

Once finished this part of the conference, the conference focused on explaining the main tools available for Promotion and Financing of Agro-industrial Projects, in a local and international context. Engineer Margarita Arango participated here representing PROCOLOMBIA, Dr. Marina Collera from the Department of foreign technological affairs represented the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness –ICEX-, Engineer Julián Andres Becerra Gómez represented BANCOLDEX, and Dr. Edilberto Castañeda represented SEGUREXPO.

 Engineer Margarita Arango

 Dr. Marina Collera

 Engineer Julián Andrés Becerra Gómez

Dr. Edilberto Castañeda

Afterwards, the conference attendees took part actively in a panel discussion making questions about the diverse topics previously presented in the conference.

Doctor Indalecio Dangod, one of the most prestigious analysts in matters of agro-economics from Colombia, culminated the conference carrying out a brilliant summary including the main panel conclusions, which was widely applauded by the participants.

Dr. Indalecio Dangod