Agricultural Market, live demonstrations and presentations by national experts headline the 72nd National Agronomy Congress in Iquique

Over 60 presenters, including researchers and academics from all over Chile, will participate in Chile’s 72^nd Agronomy Congress of Chile on November 22-24 at the Diego de Almagro Hotel in Iquique. The first two days will also feature an Agricultural Market, an SQM-sponsored initiative featuring 40 stands for the region’s farmers, small-scale producers and entrepreneurs.

The National Agronomy Congress, run by the Chilean Agronomy Society, is organized by the Universidad Arturo Prat and supported by SQM and the Agriculture Ministry through its Regional Ministerial Secretariat and its dependent services (INDAP, SAG, CONAF, CNR and FIA). This year’s presentations are expected to focus on sustainability, food security and production, the future of forestry and livestock in the face of climate change, efficient water use, biodiversity, agribusiness development, agroecological management and biotechnology.

Pablo Pisani, Corporate Affairs Manager for SQM’s Nitrates and Iodine Division, highlighted the importance of this event for regional agriculture and northern Chile. He added, “As a company, we have been implementing the Atacama Tierra Fértil program for several years. It specifically aims to optimize desert agriculture and provide the Norte Grande communities with skills to develop sustainable agriculture that protects the environment and enables territorial development.”

In this same context, Tarapaca’s Regional Ministerial Secretariat of Agriculture Eduardo Justo highlighted the joint efforts surrounding the congress and agricultural market, adding: “We hope that this congress will be an opportunity for our researchers to learn what is being done at the national level in agronomy, specifically concerning climate change. We also invite the entire community to participate in the Agricultural Market. They can meet local producers and participate in workshops related to our land. The government celebrates the collaboration between the public service, private enterprise and the university in a partnership that positively benefits the people.”

AGRICULTURAL MARKET

The space SQM provides in the south parking lot of the UNAP (near the intersection of Arturo Prat Avenue and Sagasca Street) will host 40 farmers, small-scale producers and entrepreneurs from Tarapacá, who will offer a wide variety of local products over two days. Participants will include local beneficiaries of the various SQM-supported agricultural and entrepreneurship initiatives and INDAP’s Farmers’ Market members.

Luis Astorga, farmer and artisan from La Huayca, valued the invitation to participate in the agricultural market, adding, “It certainly contributes to the income of small-scale producers, enabling them to reach consumers without intermediaries and directly marketing fresh products. The invitation goes hand in hand with the commitment the farmers are working on to gain access to other sales or marketing spaces.”

The market will feature exhibits, live cooking, compost and vermiculture workshops and interactive instances with local entrepreneurs.