Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical

I was born in the Andean metropolis of Bogotá (Colombia). Raised as a city child in a gated community I didn’t got to know much of the diversity and cultural offer of the city behind the fence. 1997 occurred one of my most important live-moving experiences: a waste avalanche at the city´s dumpsite caused the biggest sanitary emergency in Bogotá history. I decided to study something to help fixing the environment and protect nature. After finishing secondary school I went to Germany and spent there 15 years living in Nuremberg and Aachen. I studied waste management engineering and conducted bioenergy projects as a research assistant at RWTH Aachen University. I have worked as project manager with the academy and NGOs implementing small scaled solutions (biogas plants, composting, housing construction with natural materials, PV-systems) and supporting rural communities (capacity building, management and conservation of natural resources). From 2019 to 2020 I installed a biogas test facility at CIAT and was conducting biogas trials with fruit and vegetable residues from supermarkets. In RUSTICA I will be supporting CIAT´s team on the fields of anaerobic fermentation and biochar production from organic residues.

Mirjam Pulleman is a senior Soil Scientist at the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT in the Multifunctional Landscapes team, based in Colombia. She also works in the Soil Biology Group at Wageningen University. She holds a PhD in Soil Ecology from Wageningen University and an MSc in physical Geography from the University of Amsterdam.
Her research focuses on the role of soils, soil ecology and biogeochemical processes for sustainable agroecosystems, particular in tropical regions. This includes the development of knowledge on biological soil processes and soil functions, and of indicators that can be applied to inform management practices that improve soil health and food safety. Mirjam is particularly interested in working at the interface of science and application to enhance sustainability and inclusiveness of agricultural systems, with a focus on perennial crops and agroforestry systems.

Sara Rankin is a Research Associate in the Food Environment and Consumer Behavior team at the Alliance Bioversity International-CIAT. She holds a BS in Communication and an MS in Project Engineering from the University of Toulouse III Jean Jaurès.
Based in Cali, Colombia, her research focuses on understanding the city’s food system to develop accessible and useful decision-support tools for decision-makers and stakeholders.
She currently coordinates the Alliance for Nutrition and Soil Management a multi-stakeholder platform to propose innovative solutions for strengthening the city-region food system. It supports the municipal strategy for sustainable economic development, which includes actions focused on promoting clean production and responsible consumption; competitive, modern, and efficient food supply systems; green business ventures that contribute to environmental sustainability; and the incorporation of diverse solutions from a circular and sustainable economy perspective.

In her professional practice as an industrial engineer (from the Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito) and master’s degree in administration (from the National University of Colombia UNAL Palmira branch), she is linked to the Alliance Bioversity International and CIAT since 2017 as part of the Research area: Food Environment and Consumer Behavior (FECB for its acronym in English). During her professional career, she has participated in the formulation and implementation of projects that promote sustainable rural development, mainly in the small-scale agricultural sector and rural agribusiness. Some aspects that describe his experience are: participatory design of business models; analysis of value chains for the construction of sectoral competitiveness strategies; organizational strengthening for small producers’ organizations; among others.

Chemist with minor in Biochemistry graduated with academic honors Magna cum Laude from Universidad ICESI, Cali – Colombia, diploma in Ecological Agriculture (fertilization, soils, and crops) and Quality Management of testing and calibration laboratories. Currently, he works as a Research Assistant and oversees the valorization of agricultural waste to produce biochar through low-cost prototypes and the Quality Management of the Circular Economy Laboratory on Alliance Bioversity International – CIAT campus. He is passionate about Green Chemistry, mitigation of environmental impact and sustainable development of our society.

Biochemical Engineer with a Master in Science – Biotechnology in progress at Universidad ICESI. As a Research Associate at the Alliance Bioversity International – CIAT, she deploys an innovative and committed approach to sustainability. Currently, she is leading a research project focused on the treatment of organic waste with the Black Soldier Fly, with emphasis on the optimization of the production process and the evaluation of various wastes from the agri-food industry. In addition, she actively contributes to various biotechnological processes in the circular economy laboratory, ensuring their effective implementation with producers and local communities.

Agricultural Engineer and Master in Biological Sciences from the National University of Colombia, with a research focus on crop physiology. She has solid experience in the design, implementation, and management of sustainable agricultural production systems. As research coordinator at Alliance Bioversity – CIAT, she leads the validation of organic fertilizers and supervises their implementation in the field. In addition, she works closely with farmers to promote the adoption of technologies that enable the transformation of organic waste into raw material for agricultural production. Its commitment is focused on promoting sustainable agricultural practices and contributing to the development of innovative solutions to improve crop productivity and environmental conservation.