+506 2216 0222
opsaa@iica.int
Good practices of initiative:
Rhizospheric cadmium (Cd) solubility-reducing bioprocess
Relevance
It measures the alignment of the initiative with existing policy frameworks in the country. In addition, the scalability of the initiative to other realities and geographies is valued.
| Marco | Description | Ambit | Country | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 | Sets maximum levels for certain contaminants in food. Replaces Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006. | Regional | European Union | Link |
Eficacy
This measures how well the objectives and goals set out in the initiative were fulfilled, as well as the extent to which the results achieved are attributable to the actions implemented by the initiative.
| Indicator | Description | Indicator Type | Measure Unit | Base date | Base | Goal | Measure Date | Measure | Compliance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People trained | Family farmers, students, thesis students, entrepreneurs and professionals trained and certified at levels 1 and 2 | Effectiveness | No. of people | 01-01-2021 | 0 | 895 | 31-12-2025 | 986 | 110.17 | Link |
| Direct beneficiaries | People reached by the project, including the family group of the farmers trained | Effectiveness | No. of people | 01-01-2021 | 0 | 3130 | 31-12-2025 | 3452 | 110.29 | Link |
| Bioreactors built and operating | Demonstration bioreactors (4 treatment and 4 control) that reproduce the reduction of cadmium solubility in the rhizosphere | Effectiveness | No. of bioreactors | 01-01-2021 | 0 | 8 | 31-12-2025 | 8 | 100 | Link |
| Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the bioprocessTechnology Readiness Level (TRL) of the bioprocess | Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the bioprocess | Effectiveness | TRL level | 01-01-2021 | 3-4 | 7 | 31-12-2025 | 6 | 86 | Link |
| Products delivered | Products of the technical cooperation delivered and approved by FONTAGRO (databases, technical notes and monographs) | Effectiveness | No. of products | 01-01-2021 | 0 | 10 | 31-12-2025 | 10 | 100 | Link |
| Cadmium in cocoa beans | Cadmium concentration in cocoa beans from plantations using the bioprocess, on a dry-matter basis | Effectiveness | mg/kg | 01-01-2021 | < 0.8 | 31-12-2025 | Link |
Sustentaibility
It measures the installed capacities or actions identified to maintain or improve the results of the policy initiative.
| Indicator | Description | Indicator Type | Measure Unit | Base date | Base | Goal | Measure Date | Measure | Compliance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inter-institutional agreements signed | Agreements among the Decentralized Autonomous Government (GAD) of Manabí Province, the Technical University of Manabí (UTM), the Fortaleza del Valle Corporation and the ASOCCRISTAL Association that help bring the biotechnology into the sector | Sustainability | No. of agreements | 2021-01-01 | 0 | 3 | Met | Link | ||
| Family farmers with entrepreneurial potential | Family farmers trained at level 2 (group of interested entrepreneurs) to launch the bioprocess in the field | Sustainability | No. of farmers | 2021-01-01 | 0 | 103 | Met | Link | ||
| Network databases | Databases of farmer, scientific and public-private networks delivered as a sustainability strategy at project close | Sustainability | No. of databases | 2021-01-01 | 0 | 6 | Met | Link | ||
| Approved project for technology transfer | UTM project approved to build a greenhouse that gives continuity to the transfer | Sustainability | No. of projects | 2021-01-01 | 0 | 1 | Met | Link |
Learned lessons
Gained knowledge from implementing, evaluating, and managing a policy intervention, including why it was or was not effective and how it could be improved in the future.
| Lesson | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Calibrate the bioprocess’s physical-chemical variables | The behavior of mycorrhizal strains is not uniform and depends on physical-chemical variables that change cadmium solubility and bioavailability. Variables that farmers can easily measure were selected. Recording redox potential and pH at different depths is recommended. | Link |
| Classify mycorrhizal strains by bioaccumulation | Some strains increase element uptake at root level, others at aerial level, and others keep the element from reaching the flower. This was tested on species other than cocoa but can be extrapolated. Registering the group’s publications as a review at FONTAGRO is recommended. | Link |
| Adjust the bioreactor design | Bioreactors serve to study and calibrate the variables linked to cadmium solubility, but the first ones were too tall. Changing their height and construction material was recommended. | Link |
| Standardize bioreactor hydraulics | Standardizing hydraulics relative to the rhizosphere and adding physical-chemical-biological variables makes the biotechnology scalable and reproducible. | Link |
| Train with an entrepreneurial approach | Farmers, thesis students, students and entrepreneurs from several countries were trained at two levels, with elements to develop the biotechnology as a business. Strengthening interaction through the public-private partnership network generated is recommended. | Link |
| Transfer the biotechnology to other uses | The biotechnology was transferred to other targets and centers, such as olive crops and recovery of critical elements in mining. Disseminating it through more international workshops aimed at different sectors was recommended. | Link |
| Evaluate the isolates as growth promoters | The isolated fungal species were evaluated as endophytes under Koch’s postulates, to see whether they promote growth or are plant pathogens. Testing them on various species of agronomic interest is recommended. | Link |