Colombian Seed Sector Celebrates Progress in GM Technology

The Colombian seed sector ends the year with a positive balance, reaching a value of 1.4% growth from the previous year. This stable growth is proof that the sector continues as a driving force in national production.

Amidst value growth, the Colombian Association of Seeds and Biotechnology (Acosemillas) noted some challenges in 2025. These include the delays in GM crop approvals, which limit competitiveness and hinder progress in the field application of GM crop research. Another concern is seed piracy. “The use of illegal seed increases the risks of pests, diseases, weeds, and therefore the costs of control. That is why we insist that farmers must acquire authorized and registered seed, with traceability guaranteed by the ICA,” Leonardo Ariza Ramírez, General Manager of Acosemillas, explains.

In terms of research and development milestones, Acosemillas lauded the companies and innovation centers that worked on seeds resistant to drought, floods, pests, and diseases, using plant breeding techniques such as genome editing. Agricultural digitization, the bioeconomy, and artificial intelligence became established as tools for precision agriculture and food security.

Read more from the Spanish article published by Acosemillas.