Hello, who are you?

I’m José Fernando Palma Castillo. I started working as a national innovation facilitator in February 2018. I got to know the project through ATESCATEL, a cooperative of bean producers, to which I belong, which allows me to have good knowledge of the sector of this innovation partnership. I am a business administrator, and my involvement in the cooperative since 2013 has allowed me to access courses on agricultural technology and good agricultural practices. My experience in soft skills development is small, but I really want to learn.

What are your roles and responsibilities as National Innovation Facilitator?

My role within the project is to plan, organize, and manage resources for the activities that the niche proposes in order to achieve its objectives, in addition to making an approach among the different actors of the niche and motivate their participation and dialogue.

What has CDAIS changed for you?

As a facilitator, and at the same time as an active member of the niche, I believe that CDAIS has made me reflect on the importance of working together, seeking better strategic alliances, transmitting knowledge with other members of the niche and not keeping it to ourselves, and having a positive attitude in everything we undertake. In the place where I live, I see that people do not have good technical performance because they do not use good agricultural practices, and they have little knowledge. This does not allow them to improve. The benefit of being associated with a cooperative is being able to exchange experiences with different partners in order to learn more about good practices. The cooperative, in turn, allows producers to obtain better offers for their produce.