Author Bio
Paula Valencia
Paula Valencia is an environmental and social specialist at IDB Invest, based in Washington, D.C. and she leads the agribusiness group within the Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Division. She is responsible for evaluating environmental and social impacts and risks of agribusiness operations, proposing mitigation measures consistent with international best practices, supervising the performance and sustainability of projects, offering technical assistance to customers and generating knowledge products. She has extensive experience in the public and private sectors of Latin America and the Caribbean, having worked with the IDB Group for more than 19 years, primarily in agribusiness, financial intermediation, and manufacturing projects. Paula is an Industrial Engineer from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia), she has a master's degree in environmental science and policy from Johns Hopkins University (United States) and other studies in agriculture from Cornell University (United States).
Posts by Paula Valencia
By Adopting Traceability in Its Supply Chain This Company Managed to Become More Sustainable
In a world where sustainability is part of the DNA of business, an Ecuadorian company implemented standards to guarantee socially just and ecologically respectful practices throughout the value chain.
Bioeconomy: Business with a Focus on the Planet
Replacing chemicals and unsustainable materials with bioproducts, extracting forest products like seeds and fruits, or generating bioenergy from agricultural waste are just some practices creating economic opportunities for local communities while protecting ecosystems and improving resident’s lives.
Cutting-edge Data for Agricultural Resilience: Introducing AGRIADAPT
How can agribusinesses proactively navigate the effects of climate change and become more resilient? By unlocking the potential of data. IDB Invest has created AGRIADAPT, a tool based on cutting-edge agricultural and climate data that provides customized climate vulnerability analysis and adaptation recommendations.
Sustainability in Agribusiness (1): How to Add Value Using Tech & Inclusion
We have a unique opportunity that many other regions of the planet have not had, to drive the latest technological revolution in agribusiness with environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) factors, and further increase profitability in a sustainable and inclusive way.
Watch Out for TR4, the Banana Disease that is a Worst-Case Pandemic Scenario
TR4 has spread through banana cultivars across the world and jumped last year into Colombia. It is a perfectly deadly enemy for banana planters and one that leaves a clear lesson: one must be ready for worst-case pandemic scenarios and not simply pray for cures and hope for the best.
Amid the Pandemic, Some Keys to the Agriculture Sector in Latin America and the Caribbean
COVID-19 poses a threat to agricultural production in the largest net food exporting region in the world — Latin America and the Caribbean. Protecting workers’ health, economic activity, and employment requires a careful risk assessment.