The Land Grant University Colombia Consortium is a pioneering initiative of nine U.S. public and land grant universities committed to contributing to lasting peace in Colombia through rural and agricultural development. Created in 2015 with the assistance of the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, the Consortium seeks to leverage the land grant mission and expertise in applied agriculture and extension services to collaboratively help create a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable rural economy in support of Colombia’s peacebuilding efforts.

The main goal of this meet-up of researchers is to identify projects of interest and to expand cooperation in support of greater rural development and prosperity in the Cali region -a region critical to a lasting peace in Colombia. The meetup should enable networking among researchers from Colombia and the U.S. in topics described in the ensuing paragraphs.