The first virtual master's program in sustainable agribusiness in Latin America and the Caribbean

draws a truly international crowd

Students in CATIE’s second cohort of the Agribusiness Management and Sustainable Markets program discuss innovative approaches and practical tools for sustainable markets (photo credit: CATIE Comms Department)

Written by Marianella Arguello, translated and edited by Katie Modic

Turrialba, Costa Rica - This week, 27 new students from 12 countries around the world began the executive master’s program in Agribusiness Management and Sustainable Markets (GANEMOS) at the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE). The popularity of the program highlights young adults’ interest in developing businesses that are managed in more sustainable ways. This marks the 5th session of CATIE’s Agribusiness Management and Sustainable Markets program and this year, it is being offered virtually, making it the only virtual program of its kind in Latin America.

Adriana Escobedo is the coordinator of the master's degree and a specialist in the subject of agribusiness at the Environmental Economics and Sustainable Agribusiness Unit (UEAAS/EfD) at CATIE. According to Dr. Escobedo, the objective of the program is to provide integrative approaches and practical tools in sustainable agribusiness development, management, and market approaches so that professionals can apply them from the moment they conclude each course.

“It is expected that upon completion of the master's degree participants will have a broad toolbox that allows them to manage agribusiness transformation processes with a vision genuinely oriented toward sustainability and with an important component of local economic development,” Escobedo said.

GANEMOS is one of the first master's degrees in Latin America and the Caribbean being offered virtually, which opens the opportunity to substantially more professionals from different parts of the world to join. The full Masters program includes 12 courses as well as the development of the Final Graduation Project that supports the application of the course materials. This year’s cohort includes students from countries as far reaching as Vietnam, Angola and the United States. Within Latin America students enrolled come from Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama and Peru. Of them, 44% are women and more than 70% work for private companies.

Anthony Gamboa, a 2022 graduate from the second class of the GANEMOS master's degree, put his studies to work directly after graduation.

“What I learned has helped me facilitate different projects as a consultant. Our firm contributes to improving the organizational, business and financial management of different agribusiness collaboratives such as cooperatives and associations of producers, technicians and specialists. All of our clients are linked to the agricultural sector and include small and medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurs, among others,” Gamboa shared

For more information about this innovative CATIE master's program, we invite you to contact maría.madriz@catie.ac.cr or WhatsApp +(506) 8598 5187.

Students in this year’s 5th cohort of the GANEMOS program, the first year that the program is being offered fully virtually